


Haunting a reaper in training

by NellB0_0



Series: If you can't get rid of the skeletons in your closet, teach them to dance [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: A lot - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Reapertale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Author Is Sleep Deprived, Blueberror, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Error is Geno, Errortale Sans (Undertale), Everyone Needs A Hug, Forced God Of Destruction Errortale Sans (Undertale), Geno Sans (Undertale) - Freeform, Goth - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Inconsistencies in chapter's length, Inktale Sans (Undertale), M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Swearing, The only Ink I know how to write tbh, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Underfell Sans (Undertale), Underswap Sans (Undertale), Undertale Genocide Route, palette - Freeform, poth, yandere ink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 45,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24546892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NellB0_0/pseuds/NellB0_0
Summary: Error goes missing suddenly one day without warning. Nothing major happened. No sudden attacks, no giant battle between Sanses that could lead to this outcome... Nothing. Given the fact that not even his strings are up, people think he's dead, but the ones aware of the balance are not so sure. Still, they have some doubts.Goth just wants to have some peace, and yet, here we are. Some random Sans ranting to his non existent ears about how these abominations need to go, and just after he failed to reap his soul. Huh.Aka, Error is a little shit that haunts the spawn of his past abomination self. Nice.
Relationships: Geno/Reaper, Sans/Sans (Undertale)
Series: If you can't get rid of the skeletons in your closet, teach them to dance [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1218168
Comments: 110
Kudos: 223





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So, I try to be funny and write some crack for once. Keyword: try.

Ink sighed once more, bored out of his mind. He couldn't bare white spaces for long, but even then, he tried to check on the Anti-Void every now and then. He didn't have much luck.

Three months ago, the Multiverse shook to its core, a huge wave of resets took place and every Sans was trapped inside their AU for about a month before they could access the multiverse once again. No one was truly sure what happened and not everyone came back at the same time, sure, but Ink was bored and he had been mostly alone in the Doodle Sphere all that time (Palette didn't want to talk to him anymore, did he do something? Ink probably forgot about it). He wanted to go and help the creators, but more than that, he just wanted to go and bug Error for a bit before going back to their eternal battle for the fate of the AUs.

But when he went to the Anti-Void, there was only white.

Sure, this was normal, Ink told himself back then. It is the Anti-Void for a reason. Surely, he just opened a portal too far from Error's living space. Except, he checked the coordinates and it was the same one he always used. Weird.

Ink stepped inside, unnerved because of the whiteness of it all. Just a quick check and then he would find Error, everything would be alright then. But he didn't find him. He walked around a little and sure, he saw Error's bean bag and the box where he put his knitting stuff. No sign of the black-boned skeleton, though. 

Looking up, Ink noticed his jaw dropping. The blue strings that were used to trap the human's souls of the destroyed AU's were decaying little by little, red tinted souls of drained determination just floating around.

"What the..."

* * *

So, yeah, it had been three months since Ink saw Error, two since the confirmation of this supposed disappearance. But where would he be? He had been fine before The Incident TM in the multiverse, so...? And it hadn't only been him, no one else had seen him since, he had asked around. He even forgot he had asked someone and asked a second time for good measure until he started a new list on his scarf for this.

Weird, he usually remembered everything that was related to Error in some way, no matter how small.

Blue seemed worried when he told him of the situation in their last Star Sanses meeting. Dream, on the other hand, said that this was not the first time Error up and vanished for a period of time so it wasn't something to worry about. That seemed to calm Blue, but not so much Ink. He was tempted to tell them about what he saw with the strings and the red souls, but knowing Dream, he would try and free them. Given the fact that they didn't have an AU anymore and they didn't seem to have enough determination for a reset, Ink decided to keep it to himself for the moment. Maybe later he would try and ask Sci about it for a solution. 

He was still worried about the absence of Error. It didn't seem normal and something didn't feel right to Ink. Ironic for a soulless being, but he trusted his instincts. He had asked Fresh, too, but his glasses just went blank and he went away without saying anything. 

Heck, he even had gone to the trouble of letting himself be kidnapped by Nightmare’s gang for a limited period of time to ask about Error. Nothing. If anything, Ink asking had unsettled them and they just kicked him back to a random AU.

Just where could Error be?

* * *

Goth and Palette were very much in love. This fact was known to a lot of monsters across the realm of the gods and even more in the multiverse. Lots of people were happy with this couple and even encouraged them to get together. There was this unspoken rule between all the Sanses that those two were going to end up together no matter what, so they were left alone to their antics for the most part.

A lot of Sanses were happy that two children of the most powerful monsters were going to be together, especially since they were so cute and sweet with each other. The son of the Protector and the Guardian of Positivity with the son of Death and… someone else. No one was quite sure about the godly skeleton’s mate since he has been alone for a long time. Some people recall a glitch, red liquid dripping on white bones, static in a smooth voice, a long red scarf lovingly caressed.

In the end, no one was quite sure and the thought of going to the god of Death and asking about it seemed suicidal for a lot of reasons. It would make some sense given Goth’s looks though.

Palette was just excited about seeing his friend again after two months of no contact with anyone else that wasn’t his father. Ink wasn’t a bad father, but being stuck with him two months straight without anyone else was rather… draining. Which was, in part, why he was so happy to be with Goth again!

Goth, in the other hand, was not so thrilled. Sure, he missed Palette a lot and wanted nothing more than to be with him but…There was this little detail that he didn’t want anyone else to find out about.

“So, you’re seriously meeting up with that abomination of a kid?”

This insane Sans (and why were his bones black? How did that even work, like, seriously) was haunting him.

Him, a Grim Reaper.

Granted, he was still in training, and sure, he shouldn’t have tried to reap his soul and asked his dad Reaper to come and do it, but it seemed wrong at the time. Now, not only had he failed, but the spirit of the Sans had attached itself to him for some insane reason.

"You could do so much better than that kid, with him having a pair of morons for parents and all. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree... Oh my stars, I need to tell that to Nightmare one day."

So, yes. He, a literal God of Death, was being haunted. What even was his life.


	2. Introducing Mr. Glitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are some ground rules that need to be put in place if this weird ghost stalking stuff is going to be a thing and Goth is all for it. Pity he didn't take into account just how little f*cks Error gives on a daily basis.

Static filled the air and, honestly, Goth was so done with everything that he just sort of ignored it, even if it was hard. The glitchy sound as background was giving him a headache, but surprisingly it didn't feel weird. He was sure it should have been annoying but he wasn't about to complain.

Looking at the black skeleton thing that has been following him this whole time, he was confused. Yeah, the snark got tiring real fast, but for a failed reaping this situation didn't add up to him at all. With Chaos in Reapertale, it corrupted the soul of their Chara and she gained some power over death that she shouldn't have. It was a nightmare dealing with her, but it was because he knew the full history between that Chara and his dad that he just felt... lost.

Reaper and Chara weren't connected, not like he and this skeleton were anyways. In fact, half the problems caused were because Reaper couldn't find Chara quickly enough, there wasn't a deep link. So why couldn't this skeleton and himself be apart?

They had tried, oh gods they had, it just hurt so darn much that it wasn't worth it. Goth was secretly grateful that they stopped trying to force themselves to be apart because it caused him to glitch. That was always uncomfortable and borderline painful.

The monster with that darned soul fragment he tried to reap was glitching too, constantly in fact, but it was because of the error signs that covered him. Good things was that when Goth glitched, it seemed to spark the other's curiosity enough to override common sense and be near him. Bad things was, he was bombarded with snarky commentary and questions he either didn't have an answer to or were just sensitive topics.

Like the topic of his glitch status, his death touch, Reapertale or Palette.

Not like the black skeleton seemed to care much about how Goth felt about something before trying to butt in to put his own two cents.

“Okay, first, some ground rules” said Goth sternly. “When I'm with Palette or dad, please be silent. I don't need anyone giving me weird looks because I'm talking to thin air. I may be able to bullshit about everyone except those two.”

Error snorted. “And why do ya think I'm gonna listen to ya'? I don't funking care, glitch boi.”

Glitch boi? He may look like a kid but he sure wasn't, darn it! He was a teen! So what if he was a bit little? So was every other Sans out there in existence... Or most of them anyways, but the point stands!

“Ugh, why didn't I ask dad for help with the reaping!”

“Pf, look kid, let me tell you something and I ain't gonna repeat myself twice, so listen closely, 'kay?” Goth said nothing in response, the tension between the two rising to a deafening echo of static and uneasiness. “I die, when I say I die.”

“But that's not how it works!” yelled Goth in indignation. So the guy was a bit determined, okay, that didn't give him the right to disrespect his family's duty that way.

“I didn't say ya had to be happy with it, it's how it is” Goth sputtered, trying to defense himself or to rebute that claim, even he wasn't sure. “But given that you're a glicth and I am too, didn't ya think that's where our problem comes from?”

Silence... And then.

“OMG, HOW DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?!”

“So, yeah, there's a possible explanation for it there, happy?” The black boned skeleton just rolled his eye-lights in mock irritation.

“Not really, no.”

The other just gave him a deadpan and Goth flushed, embarrassed. He wasn't the best at social clues in a good day, but rethoric questions were something he just wasn't used to. As a deity in Reapertale, the mortals asked the most simple questions sometimes and expected an answer, it was an impulse at this point even if their contact was limited at best.

“So, what should I call you? I mean, we're connected right now, so may as well get to know each other?” It was getting awkward not giving this other person a name for Goth, even if it was only in his thoughts.

“You don't even answer most of my questions.”

Touché, black dude. Wait, was that racist or not? They were skeletons, not humans, this wasn't something he should be expected to know!

“If you're not going to answer how about I give you a name?” the other skeleton just shrugged. It seemed like he was saying something along the lines of 'whatever kiddo' so he blurted it out. “How about Error? Because of your glitches and-”

“No.”

Goth gulped. Yeah, maybe it wasn't the nicest name he could have picked out for this stranger but that was harsh. It wasn't his fault names in the Multiverse were weird, there was even a kid named Plum, like c'mon.

The black skeleton was giving him a glare, very intimidating indeed.

“Do you even know who that name belongs to?” Goth shook his head as if saying no. “That name belongs to the Destroyer of Worlds kid, and there are ears everywhere. Someone is bound to eavesdrop on our conversations at some point. Do you really want to be connected to that guy?”

So, yeah, there was that.

* * *

In the end, Goth ended calling the other Glitch. It was a bit weird, given that glitch was used to people like himself as an adjective sometimes, but apparently better than Error. He just couldn't believe he almost named this guy like the nemesis of Palette's dad. Mr. Glitch said he didn't want to be involved in that mess and he believed him, but why was Mr. Error so bad? Yes, his title was the Destroyer, but his dad's title was The End as in, the End of All things. Reaper was not a bad guy, Goth would know, so why was it different with the other skeleton?

Oh, the irony.

The truth was, for the now nicknamed Glitch, the black boned skeleton had his memory kind of scrambled at the moment, but there was something he knew for certain. He was the Error, Destroyer of AUs and anyone related to him or his name would be in danger. Usually he wouldn't care about this kid at all, but given how his soul piece was attached to the other's, he wasn't fond of the idea of knowing what happened if this abomination calling himself Goth got hurt. Would it hurt him too? Would he take the damage instead? Would he glitch out of existence?

Yeah, better not to find out. Not yet, at least.

Besides, Fate had to be screaming in rage in some part of the Deity's realm, that was enough for him at the moment. Take that, b*tch.

* * *

In the Deity's realm, Fate was indeed screaming in rage. Destiny just watched it all go down with a smirk, oh how did they love seeing their sibling in distress.

Choice, the youngest and only Deity that could go against those two, was trying to pretend their siblings didn't exist. It didn't work.

* * *

The sky in Outertale was as breath-taking as ever. Yet, Ink couldn't truly enjoy it at the moment. The search for Error had been fruitless thus far and he wasn't sure what he should do next. For the first time in his existence, Ink remembered what it was to be alone. Sure, he had Dream and Palette now, but the two were so distant with him sometimes that he honestly forgets sometimes. Ink didn't consider them to be that close, not like he and Error were no matter the glitch's protests. 

Error was such a tsundere.

With the black skeleton, Ink felt accomplished, felt like a part of him that had been missing was found, such a exhilarating feeling that didn't depend on his vials for once. It used to scare him, but now he misses it fiercely. 

The two of them shared a special connection and Ink was determined to find Error.

He would find him, no matter what.

Even if he had to level the whole Multiverse in his search.

* * *

Unknown to Ink, the very same Palette was in that AU waiting for his best friend Goth. He had some conflicted feelings on him lately. He hadn't been able to contact the other in those three months and, with only Ink for company, it got him thinking.

Sometimes, he would be able to create a particular cute flower that he thought Goth would enjoy and was expecting him to be at his side for it, just to stop in his tracks. He enjoyed Goth's company, he knew that, they were best friends!

So, why was it so harsh being apart? Before knowing Goth, Palette used to pass the time with his half-brothers Paperjam and Gradient.

They were created because of a powerful clash of magic between Error and Ink while in a fight. Error didn't want anything to do with them, even if he sometimes helped them out. Ink, his dad, had even forgotten about their existence at some point. No wonder PJ was such an as*hole.

The point being, even if he couldn't contact them back then when the three of them were very close, he was somewhat sad. But with Goth it just got ten times worse. He was having teenager angst and given that Dream was one of his parents, Palette's own positive aura should prevent that!

And now that he finally got to see Goth again, Palette was getting nervous. He felt little butterflies flapping all at once in his non-existent stomach and there was that floaty feeling again.

Gosh, he and Goth were such good friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Goth getting the FriendZone.  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> I wasn't supposed to take this long to update this story, but this chapter got deleted last month and I tried to write it again. I'm not entirely sure I want to cut this chapter here but I hope you enjoyed this anyways. See you next time!


	3. Poth is a thing and Error ships it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goth is just trying to live his life as normally as he can, he doesn't need the commentary. Like, really, Glitch or whatever, just shut up. No, I'm not being a moron with a crush on a rainbow abomination, just shut up!
> 
> 'Oh, denial, what a powerful thing. This sh*t is going to be the DEATH of him.'

Palette sat in the edge of a cliff in Outertale, his feet hanging in the edge over the Void below. The starry scenery above was something else, alright, the constellations were made with care and attention and the silence was a welcome sound.

He wasn't sure he wanted to meet with Goth here, there were so many cool places in the Multiverse that he just couldn't decide. There was the Amusement Park place, the AU that had the inspiration in Alice in Wonderland, that market place where most monsters were androids, the snowy expanse of that particular AU his dad Ink used to visit with no one else around to disturb them...

Palette decided to ask Dream for help, which is how he ended up telling Goth to meet him in Outertale. Something about it being beautiful, peaceful and, more than anything else, perfect for young love and your special one. Of course he would go for that one, he loved Goth more than anything else, they were best friends for a reason after all!

It had been three months, Palette fidgeted a bit. He was so nervous, he had been spending that time in the Doodle Sphere but he didn't know about Goth. Would he have been trapped in Reapertale? The Save Screen Goth had told him about? The Anti-Void like his half-brothers? Or even the famous Omega Timeline like many of the kids from parents of two different Aus?

Wait, did Goth even know of them?

Palette knew Goth liked to explore, but he also knew how limited his freedom was most of the time because of Reaper. He had been concerned at first and talked to Goth about it, but the other didn't mind that treatment much. Ever since the glitch's mother had passed away, the gods of Reapertale had been very protective over the polite little skeleton or so he was told.

Goth was happy because it meant he was able to spend a lot of time with his dad and uncle, his training as part of the Death household starting earlier than planned at first, too.

Palette wasn't sure this was a good thing. It's not that he wasn't happy for Goth, it's just that because of that protective nature the people taking care of him had, he was very sheltered of everything. He didn't know a lot about the Multiverse if it didn't relate to his reaping duty and that was a problem sometimes. Heck, Goth didn't even know of Nightmare's gang or Error, the constant battles going on because of different AUs or even about the Star Sanses and the Council.

He wished he could help his friend a bit more to understand it all, but he was a bit sheltered as well. The only reason he knew that much was because it was inevitable given who his parents were, both of them ruling the Star Sanses and the archenemies of Nightmare and Error themselves. That, and because PJ was very vocal in his displeasure about their situation in the whole mess. Bless Gradient, that skeleton had the patience of a saint.

He kept mumbling some of his thoughts out loud, sharing his worries and secrets with the stars as his only companion.

The silence was shattered with the sound of muffled footsteps. The slippers in Goth's feet made almost no noise, but the terrain let Palette know the exact moment his best friend neared their meeting place.

“Hey there, Palette” Goth sighed tiredly.

“Hey Goth! How have you been? It's been such a long time and I've missed you so much!” yelled Palette smiling, his arms engulfing Goth in a crushing hug.

Goth smiled, a warm feeling in his heart at his friend's words filling his very being. Palette was such a nice skeleton, he didn't know what he would do without him. He was glad he had a friend like him in his life and accepted the hug the other offered easily enough. It was comfortable, he wouldn't mind being like this for a long time, just the two of them hugging.

' _Oh, I see how it is now. This makes so much more sense now with the keep quite thing_ ' said ~~Error~~ Glitch, smirking down at the only skeleton that could see and hear him.

The hug was comforting to Goth, who just decided to resolutely ignore Mr. Glitch to the best of his ability. He was not ruining this for Goth, no sir.

' _Pf, just get a room. Or go sit under a tree for eternity or something, that disgrace is Dream's son after all._ '

The smile was frozen on Goth's face. Oh stars, just why.

Goth didn't know wether to laugh himself silly or cry in frustration. The smug smirk Mr. Glitch was giving him didn't help, either.

He tensed. He had been looking forward to this reunion for three months now, but even then it was ruined because of this situation he got himself involved in. He wanted to smack himself when he noticed Palette stiffened, his slip up didn't go unnoticed then.

Shame.

“Hey Goth? I know it may be weird because it's coming out of nowhere but...” The colorful skeleton paused, as if giving himself a bit of time to come up with the words he wanted to say. Separating a bit from the hug so he would be able to look at the other, he couldn't help but stare a bit at Goth, who was so cute pouting like that... Wait what? “Err... How do I put this?”

There was a moment of silence, Palette entranced by his friend's looks. Goth really was cute, Palette thought, small and very round with a innocent look. That lone eye-light in his left eye-socket so big and bright, perfect to get lost in. Goth started to get uncomfortable with this intense look, his soulbeat going up. Glitch just wished he could steal abomination's 13 chocolate to munch while watching all this drama. Oh, how he longed for a physical body again.

“Palette?”

“Eh? Oh! Yes, yes, um...” Goth watched him closely, Palette's cheeks flaring up for a moment before composing himself and putting on a serious face, there would be more time later to gush about Goth's cute looks later. “Goth, are you okay?”

Palette separated from his best friend completely, his hands resting on Goth's arms for just a second longer before falling at his side, hesitant. As much as it pained him to let the other go, Palette knew there was something wrong. He could tell.

“What? No! I mean yes. Yes! Of course! I mean, why would there be something wrong? Haha...”

' _Stars, kid. And I thought I was bad at lying._ '

' _Shut up_ ' Goth thought to himself, unsure if Glitch would be able to hear him due to their shared connection or if it would be futile. He really needed to stay focused at all time while interacting with other people if this was going to become something daily. What a nightmare.

With a huge intake of air and a bright cute smile, Goth beamed “Palette, everything is fine, truly.”

' _Except for the fact that you have a crush on a rainbow moron, just peachy._ ' Goth's eye-socket twitched, just a little. Glitch, of course, noticed, the smug skeleton he was.

And Palette? Palette could only get overwhelmed when faced with such an expression. Goth really was cute.

“Palette?! OMG, Palette, are you okay?!”

' _Oh boy, just like the funking squid._ '

* * *

"Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods. Palette just fainted, what do I do?!"

Goth was hyperventilating, getting hysterical and bringing his hands to his skull in his panic. Admittedly, Glitch shouldn't be amused at this but, well, he enjoyed the despair of other people just a bit. Well, more than a bit. More like a ton ( ~~a skele **ton**~~ ). Even so, it was getting old real fast.

Maybe because they were connected, Glitch mused to himself, before talking to the kid about something dealing with emotions and going to his default setting. Anger. 

' _And you're asking me? How the funk am I supposed to know!_ '

"You're the adult here! And why are you even saying funk? What even is funk supposed to mean?!"

' _I just got tired of getting censored all the time by that 90's nightmare, okay?!_ '

Goth paused, confused. "The what?"

' _Just another abomination. And look, the distraction worked, you're not panicking anymore._ ' Glitch felt so proud of himself he noticed his chest puffing unconsciously.

"Oh, not at all, I just put it on pause." Glitch blinked, confused. "Palette! Wake up! What do I do? How am I supposed to act now? Should I get help? Maybe Ink. No no no, Dream is a better option. I guess?"

' _Okay then._ ' Kids were weird, Glitch decided. 

* * *

Fresh just kept going in his skate, going around the Anti-Void morosely, seemingly without a purpose at all. He had to be patient, he knew, but his lack of a soul didn't help with that matter. Last he knew, patience was a soul trait, so why were people so surprised because he didn't have it? 

The skeleton in neon clothes sighed, at least he wasn't as bad as Ink.

But then again, no one was as bad as Ink, so could that be any kind of surprise? Any consolation? He wasn't sure. Huh.

The souls kept buzzing, dropping or wailing in despair. It was kind of funny, how he longed for a soul of his own while around so many of them without a body. He could absorb some, maybe? He could go berserk like the Floweys or the ones in that place in their respective AUs and there would be no one to stop him. And yet, he didn't want that, not truly. He wouldn't be able to look at Error's face again if he did. 

If there was even some slim possibility of looking at Error again at all. 

Fresh noticed his phone vibrating. Getting the thing out of one of the pockets in his pants, he picked up.

"Fresh? We need to talk."

"Home skillet! About time you called, brah. I know we need to talk, but this darn thing we got ourselves here is a bit more unrad that we thought, pal." 

"Can you meet me at Nightmare's?"

Fresh hummed, watching closely as Error's blue strings kept fading, more and more souls dropping or wandering around. 

"Not sure about that. I ain't going near that Fart-Knocker again anytime soon." 

"Are you still mad at him for last time?"

Fresh didn't answer, his glasses completely blank. They had been like that ever since he got the news from Ink about Error's disappearance. He.. wasn't taking it all that well. The skeleton on the other side of the line just sighed.

"Okay, I get it, but we need to talk. And I mean in person! I got some sensitive information I need to share with all of you but I can only get away for a bit this time."

Fresh hummed again. "That so? Totes radical of you if you prefer going to Nighty first then. But why just one?"

Another sigh.

"My brother has been monitoring me again, you know how he is."

"You really need to kick him to the curb, broseph."

"He's still my brother and I love him. And no, Fresh, not this time. You need to know about this first, but if I meet you in the Anti-Void you need to get this information to Nightmare."

A bit more of silence. Fresh was... hesitant. He was kind of mad at the goopy skeleton, or that was how he thought he should go about this. It wasn't like he could get mad at someone, not really, but he could get annoyed. It wasn't just because of Nightmare either, he just didn't want to leave the Anti-Void just yet. Just a bit longer, he just needed to secure the more determined souls a bit more before he could go. Yes, that sounded reasonable, he would go with that.

"Okay, brah. Meet me at the Anti-Void?"

"Sure thing!"

"Totally fly" Fresh smiled a bit, his colorful outfit looking brighter now, somehow. "See ya then, Blue brah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit more dialogue heavy this time, but I hope you liked it! If you don't get something Fresh is saying, look it up in the Internet (90's slang). Next chapter we will get to see Nightmare's gang, finally :D


	4. Forget possible Multiverse destruction, this is the fuel of nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Horror:*shrugs.  
> Horror: I may not look it, but I'm the cute one.
> 
> Blue: ...sure?
> 
> Horror: I give great hugs.

"Sanses of the Multiverse. We're reunited here today because of the incident that happened three months ago" Dream said, standing in front of the entire AU council.

The seats were arranged similar to an amphitheatre with the seats arranged in a semi-circle. This was both good and bad. Good because this arrangement made possible to look at everyone at the same time so no one would feel excluded. Bad because, in cases like this, it felt too much like judgement. All the eyes on him, watching his every move and tell, his body language. What he said and what he didn't say. Usually that attention would be divided because Ink attracted a lot of eyes in the room all the time and Blue always tried to help and answered questions, pacified egos. But not today. The stares, the whispers... It was getting to him. This whole situation was a disaster and he was at the edge of a nervous breakdown, but this needed to be done. Now.

Not when Ink stopped his wild search for something only he seemed to know without telling them, apparently something about Error still being missing. Not when Blue stopped this weird thing he had with his brother, the two of them not talking much and Carrot saying he went out to the Multiverse without telling anyone anything.

Dream decided he needs better friends if this is the way things are going to be from now on.

"Three months ago, there was a huge impact in the core code of this Multiverse that forced us back to our AUs. Some tried to resist it. It was futile. Some even got injured in the process or their worlds had a forced reset that made us lose people. Important people. People we cared about suddenly aren't there anymore or they have forgotten. Suddenly, this good people are not the same we knew, we treat them as a different AU or as if they were copies or different outcomes because, what else can we do?"

Dream stopped for a moment, gathering his thoughts. This situation was difficult for everyone. This incident that caused everyone to go back to their timeline affected him too, after all. He had to go back to Dreamtale after everything that happened. The devastation, the death... The tree. Maybe worst of all were the memories that place had. Maybe it wasn't, because he wasn't the only Sans from that AU.

He didn't want to think about Nightmare right now.

"The point is that right now, we don't know what caused this. We don't know what the repercussions can be." He stopped another moment, steeling his resolve, looking at every Sans here that represented their own AU in the face before continuing. "What we do know, is that the people from the omega timeline are safe once more from the white space where their AUs used to be. That Nightmare and his gang have been affected as well and aren't going to attack anyone. That the Destroyer, the Error, is still missing and there is not a trace of him anywhere, not even the Anti-Void."

His voice, loud enough for everyone to hear and with such a burning passion, quietened a bit as he said the last part of his speech.

"This incident, we've decided to call it The Multiverse Reversion. It's difficult, I know it is. But remember. Look at the bright side. We are still here and the Star Sanses will do everything in our power to help. This is not the end, there is still HOPE."

A cheering crowd was his answers. And yet, all Dream could think about right now was the two empty chairs besides his.

* * *

**[Two weeks before the Multiverse Reversion]**

There were two figures walking down the corridors in Nightmare's mansion, both black in color. The dripping corruption of the one in the lead marked this as Nightmare, the Negativity Guardian. His expression was enraged, something not unusual to see in the battlefield against his enemies but very uncommon surrounded by the walls of his home. The second figure was a glitch, the Destroyer of Worlds, the Error. He was following the Guardian in a last ditch to plead his case to his sometimes friend and ally but it didn't seem to be working.

The Sanses known as the former's gang were listening, hidden in the shadows of the place as to not be detected. None was fooled, though. They all knew they were there. Nightmare was able to sense their locations because of their own corruption leaking off their souls and Error was able to see codes directly. Besides, Cross' outfit was almost entirely white, not exactly the definition of subtle when in a castle where the base color is black. Nonetheless, it was more because of the arguing pair, it gave them the illusion of privacy.

They all knew that the real argument, the reclamations and accusations, would start once Nightmare and Error got behind the door at the end of the corridor. It was the throne room, heavily guarded with incantations and magic. Once in there, none of them would know what would happen except Killer. He had a gift being able to sneak in places he shouldn't be able to, after all.

This time it seemed like it wouldn't be needed. Either the boss wanted them to hear this or he just simply didn't care anymore. The last one scared them because of the nature of this particular argument. 

"Nightmare, calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down?!" the negative being raised his voice, the indignation very clear to everyone but with a more concealed hurt behind his words. "You didn't even fight back this time!"

Error frowned, starting to get mad. Cross in particular winced, he had been victim to the glitch's ire way too many times before because of his pranks but this was different somehow. He didn't want to know, but none of them could help that compulsion that forced them to try to read the expression in their ~~friend's~~ ally's face.

"I got the job done, didn't I?"

"So what, Error. So as long as you destroy an AU is okay for that idiot to beat you half to death?!"

Horror gulped. That sounded very f*cked up, and the cracks in the glitch's skull were starting to make him uncomfortable as the picture of what happened to cause them started getting clearer by the second. He risked a look at Dusty and, sure, the other's expression was pretty mad by standard but it just got a tad darker, bloodthirsty.

"You know it's not like that, Mare!"

"No, I don't know shit!" Nightmare turned, snarling and way too close to Error for the glitch to be comfortable, haphephobia and all. "One moment Ink is beating you to death with you crawling away however you can and the next you're all buddy buddy with each other! So tell me, Error. What is it supposed to be like, then?"

There was a beat, both of them in the middle of the corridor trying to stare the other down, not willing to be the first to look away, to admit defeat. The uneasiness raised between the gang, they were sharing glances from their hiding places. This was going to get ugly if nothing changed.

"DAMNIT, ERROR, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THAT?!"

The yell echoed, the tentacles on Nightmare's back sharpened and poised as if to attack. Error looked away. He looked uncomfortable, pained. But most of all, he seemed sad. Nightmare sighed, all the tension leaving his body as the gang collectively repressed a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, thought so." Nightmare moved, letting Error have his space and going back to each other's personal space. Nightmare gave his back to Error once again, but didn't start walking. Not yet, he needed to say something first for everyone, hidden or otherwise, to hear. "Look, Error, I care about you, I truly do. But I refuse to keep watching how you let yourself die and don't even bother to defense yourself."

Error's eyes widened. He had a feeling where this was going and he didn't like it one bit. This needed to stop. No, he couldn't, not again!

"Nightmare, wait-"

"You're practically best friends with your future murderer for f*ck's sake."

"Nightmare, don't do this."

Error's tone was practically begging but Nightmare's decision was made. There was not going back now.

"Until you deal with this situation, I'm afraid we have to end our partnership."

And as Error said with such a small and lost tone "... you really want me gone?" all that was going through his mind was not again, he couldn't do that again, he didn't want to be alone, he couldn't, he just. Was. So. Tired.

"I refuse to watch you let yourself die and stand there. Do something about it. But if you don't, then I'm not sure you're the friend I've known so many years anymore."

It sounded like a deal, like an ultimatum. To the gang, it sounded like a desperate attempt to make Error react and defense himself, to fight, to regain that determination that always seemed to keep the glitch going. To Error, it sounded like a reproach, like a breaking point. 

"I understand. Please, send the boys my regards."

"Tell them yourself, glitch." Both of them aware of the multiple pairs of eye-sockets they couldn't see but could clearly sense, watching the scene play out.

"Nah, I think I'll pass. See ya 'round, Mare."

And Nightmare kept walking down the corridor, entering the throne room. The booming sound it caused echoed through the quiet that installed itself on the whole castle.

To Error, it sounded like a death sentence.

* * *

**[Present time]**

The chatter in the room was like background noise at this point for Dream. He couldn't believe his friends sometimes. In times like these there needed to be a sense of unity and strength. And yet, he was the only one presiding the Multiverse meeting with most AU attendance since ever! Everyone was looking at him for directions, for the Star Sanses' help. Ink was nowhere to be found, he didn't have the slightest idea where the artists was on a normal day much less now. He was the leader of the group, he was the God of Creation! 

This shouldn't be Dream's work. He kept coming here day after day because they had a fight they were dealing with every day of their lives. He believed in the cause, in being a protector for the Multiverse with Ink, in bringing positivity and hope to places where there was believed to be none. And yet he was failing. He knew he was lying to himself. He couldn't even protect his AU from corruption, the Tree of Feelings from the attack or the Village that was rampaged because of his brother. His poor brother, sweet Nightmare that was left alone when people attacked in an attempt to get an apple from the Tree of Feelings because Dream was an idiot and didn't see the obvious trap. His brother had even warned him not to go have tea with that lady, the lady that tried to drug him to sleep so he would miss the whole thing.

He was an idiot back then. Not only that, but a weakling as well. He didn't trust his brother's judgement back when they were on the same side and it always comes back to bite him in his metaphorical ass. What was his point? Dream had a point he was going to with all this. His thought kept rambling and going in different directions. It was hard to focus. 

The thing was, Dream knew that back then he was pretty much useless. That's what he was trying to fix now! He could help people, he could talk to them and feed the positivity, keep up the morale! He got great at that with time and effort. But leading everyone in this room and the AUs they were bound to report to? This was way too big for him. He knew when something got overwhelming and for him this was it.

He didn't blame Blue. Well, that was a lie again. He didn't blame Blue much. The other Sans had his friends, his brother and a powerful AU he needed to worry about. He didn't have as much time as the rest of them without a world to go home do. The fact that he was a Sans wasn't even a reason for him to be there helping because he didn't have the role of the original Sans! His AU was a Swap, he had the place of the original timeline's Papyrus! And true, the Sans code was sometimes too strong and always came through, but the small Sans didn't have a duty, didn't have a reason to keep fighting for them but the goodness in his heart.

And stars bless Blue because he was a huge help most of the times he was needed.

This time was not one of them.

Dream sighed. He didn't know what to feel anymore. His positive aura was dimmed because of his emotional state. There was no balance between Dream and his brother so he knew he needed to be strong. But the chatter after his speech was declining and he knew what came next.

Questions.

He needed Blue now and seriously, f*ck Ink for not doing his duty. The other was a God, it was time he started acting like one!

* * *

The stars kept shining bright in the distance. It was amazing for Glitch, he loved this AU. There was a feeling of nostalgia, of love, of pain... and he didn't know why. It didn't matter much now, he supposed, seeing as he wasn't able to enjoy this place because of all the ruckus Goth kept making to wake the other teen up.

"Dream is not answering his phone and neither is Outer, how do you even wake someone who has passed out?!"

The kid seemed stressed. Seriously, if he had physical matter of his own in this moment, he would wack the head of Goth so hard that the colorful and disgusting code that called itself Palette of all things, wouldn't be the only one passed out. Glitch was so done with everything about this situation.

' _Why don't you just shove him off the cliff into the Void below? One less headache and one less abomination, it would be a win-win!_ '

"How can you say that so nonchalantly?! I'm starting to get concerned about you, Mr. Glitch." 

The worst part about that statement to Glitch was that he knew the other meant it. He was uncomfortable with that, didn't know how to deal with it and like it or not, Glitch's very own soul piece was attached to the kid's. He couldn't keep snapping at him at every turn.

A distraction. He needed a distraction. Anything would do as long as it kept Goth's attention away from him.

' _Look, Splatter or whatever is starting to wake up._ '

And sure enough, the kid was squirming on Goth's arms, scrunching up his face into something ugly. Then again, no one was as cute as Glitch himself, so it was usually normal for him to see the other Sanses as ugly. It was tough being so cute sometimes. An eleven out of ten!

"His name is Palette, not Splatter" the indignation in Goth's voice almost palpable. "Wait, he is?! Oh my gods, Palette, are you okay?!"

Goth kept shaking him back and forth. It was funny watching how the nausea increased every time. Glitch wondered if this skeleton would barf ink like his father.

"Goth?" seriously, the pitiful voice was starting to get on his nerves, what the absolute funk did the kid see in this rainbow moron? "Gothy, who were you talking to?"

Goth stiffened, then forced himself to relax and smile like nothing was wrong. It was like nothing at all was wrong. Glitch would be impressed if the nickname Gothy coming from that abomination's mouth wasn't blinding him with fury and the itch to go destroy an AU or two.

"No one, Pal. I was just, uh, panicking? Because you fainted?"

"Huh." A moment of silence and then that answer seemed to finally register on Palette's mind. "Wait, I did?"

"Yes?"

"Really?!"

"Yes?!"

The two of them kept talking like the awkward teenagers obviously in love that they were and, while that made Glitch feel incredibly uneasy, there was something else that caught his attention. He just caught a glimpse but it was enough for him to recognize it. Or recognize him, to be more specific. Whatever. What exactly was doing the ink blot doing in the edge of that other cliff, looking at the Void underneath with such empty eye-sockets?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was thinking of writing more of the Bad Sanses but, wow, look at that, a wild Dream has appeared!


	5. Bath bombs are totes radical, brah!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah, I've been so busy and this was supposed to be up weeks ago, I'm so behind in my schedule for everything it's not even funny. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you like this :D

Ink was tired, he had looked everywhere in the Multiverse and still nothing. It was like Error had vanished from existence like a Gaster, but he very much doubted he could go search in the Voids for long enough to find him if that was the case. He had come back to Outertale in a futile attempt, there was always a chance Error was laying low. In those cases Ink knew the other usually went to a certain cliff in that AU. He almost left himself hope. In the end, he was glad he didn't, because all he was met was with disappointment.

He knew finding Error was important. He had a gut feeling, even if he lacked those. And even if it wasn't, the glitch had become a constant in his life. They were enemies, sure, but they were more than that too! If it was up to Ink, he would describe their relationship as some kind of frenemies. They could work together if the need arose, but Error seemed to resent him for some reason.

It wasn't like Ink was the only one of the two that had memory problems either, his just were more common and well known. But he knew Error forgot things from time to time. He rarely forgets things about Error after all. The both of them were powerful outcodes even if that wasn't the reason. He didn't even know it himself. Maybe it was routine, maybe it was obsession, maybe it was something else. Heck if he knew. He just... didn't want to let Error forget about him. It terrified Ink.

Ink sighed. He knew he should have gone back to the Doodle Sphere already and probably somewhere else. He didn't remember where exactly but he had the sneaky suspicion that Dream was mad at him. Oh boy, that always was unpleasant. On the other hand, seeing as he was low on paint in his vials, he couldn't find it in himself to really care about that. That was future Ink's problem.

He was a skeleton in a mission after all.

But maybe a little break wouldn't matter all that much in the end? He was so tired... Ink felt like he had been searching for days non-stop, which now that he thought about it could very well be true. Time was relative and when you mix so many AUs in a row one tends to lose track of it. Sitting down was tempting, but no matter how tired he felt or how comfortable that particular patch of grass Error always sat at looked, he couldn't bring himself to do it. So he just kept standing, his brown scarf moving slightly because of a gentle breeze caressing his face.

He kept looking at the stars in that particular cliff. It was ironic in a way. He always laughed at Error because of his sentimentality on this place, called his brooding cliff and everything too. It was the spot where he almost always found him if Error wasn't in the Anti-Void, after all. He knew the probability of finding Error in there was high, but even so he never could bring himself to fight there. It seemed wrong. Error looked so peaceful, the stars shining bright outlining that rough look... So beautiful and sad... Always brooding that guy, heheh. And here he was, doing the very same thing as the black boned skeleton.

He missed him so much it hurt, in a twisted way you know it's not healthy but don't really care about those things anymore.

Ink stood at the edge and looked to the Void below. It was an impressive view. Dark, mysterious and really powerful. Heh, reminded him of Error. His eye-lights disappeared. He clutched his sash of vials, his face expressionless. The vials were almost empty, but he couldn't go back to recharge them right now. He needed to keep going, just a little bit more. Maybe if he kept trying he would get a lead eventually. Even if he knew it didn't work like that, he would keep going regardless.

He was starting to feel numb, the vials draining without Ink doing anything about it. He had gone earlier to his house to grab his spare sash full of vials for emergencies but he was met with nothing. Had he used it already and didn't remember? Highly likely, knowing himself. What a mess.

He missed the sound of static in the air. It was calming to him.

He turned away and got his brush ready. He needed to keep looking and he already knew Error was not in Outertale, no need to keep loitering around for no real reason.

Ink splashed some purple paint in the floor, getting ready to jump, when he felt a ping in his soul. Someone was summoning him, but this time was different. It came from somewhere he didn't really recognize and it wasn't a Sans calling him. He could tell at least that much.

Very curious but he would ignore it for now. He had other things to do after all. He jumped into his portal, the only evidence of him ever being there a bit of purple drops of paint that didn't dissolve when he teleported.

In the distance, Error let go of his breath he didn't even know he was holding. His mind felt full of static in an unpleasant way. Glad that was over, at least. How disturbing.

* * *

Blue was in a good mood, all things considered. Sure, everything was going to hell but at least he was roaming around the Multiverse as he pleased. He wasn't happy with his brother Stretch but if something good came out of being a part of the Star Sanses was that the other didn't try to control him that much on a good day. He needed to go away for a bit or else he would go crazy. Or crazier, better said, because Blue would bet that he was already bonkers after everything that has happened to him after going to the Multiverse from his AU. 

On a good day, it would like the past days where he would only worry about training and having a healthy diet while his Papyrus would laze around and go to Muffet's. On a good day, the both of them would banter and bicker like the pair of close siblings they used to be and act surprised each and every time the human appeared. On a good day, he would get to go from the Snowdin all the way up to New Home as pleased, free to do whatever he wanted without having to inform his brother of everything he was doing in phone calls every five minutes.

That week had been full of bad days.

He resented his brother when that happened. Was everything a lie? Would he never get to do what he wanted even if they did get to the Surface? Would that behavior follow him there or was that something that only applied to the Multiverse? Because he was making it a habit and one day he would snap, just like his brother's neck-

But today he was free once again! And he didn't go to that meeting like his brother thought he was, oh no. He would apologize to Dream later for not being there to support his friend, he did regret that because he cared for the cheery skeleton but he had different priorities at the moment. Besides, this would be good for his friend in the long run as well, he depended way too much on Ink for support and leadership when he was better at that kind of stuff. Maybe he had been a little naive at the beginning but Blue himself had been as well, so no worries! He believed in Dream! Dream was way better suited for the job. Ink, on the other hand... Well. He had mixed feelings about the self-proclaimed Protector of AUs. 

Blue had been gone a long time now from his AU, needing some time to himself for once. So, since he had an excuse ready to use even if the missed meeting thing was discovered, he was going to darn well relax and spend a bit of his free time on himself. He had to hurry if he didn't want to be found out though, so he had to use his time wisely in case he couldn't later.

So, instead of going with Dream to the Sanses Council, he would go to Nightmare's Manor. Oh, the betrayal. He smiled in mischief. Error would have like that, it felt like a plot twist deserving of Undernovela.

It was very inconvenient that Fresh was still mad but he could deal with it for now. He had met up with the 90's themed skeleton in the Anti-Void as both of them could go in even if it was locked, a privilege only them had so no worries about being spied on. The Anti-Void had become a part of their codes, may as well take advantage of that.

Blue glitched, his appearance flickering for a moment to that of a black skeleton with three stars in a row next to his right eye-socket. His bones acquired a purple tint in certain parts like his legs and arms, his clothes black and red. He quickly switched back to his normal white boned appearance. Golly, being in the Anti-Void sure messed him up. He needed to be careful with that later. Or not, Blue mused. It was time to consider if it was worth it to let his Blueberror side show more. Maybe he would talk about that possibility with Fresh later. He hadn't used it before because Error convinced him not to. It was inconvenient because someone was bound to recognize him sooner or later, Stretch especially. 

But Error wasn't here now, was he?

* * *

Blue was in front of the doors of Nightmare manor. Suddenly, he thought if it wasn't too late to go back to how his life was before Error kidnapped him and introduced him to the Multiverse. Then, he remembered how naive and sheltered he had been back then and huffed. Sure, being a double agent for Error in the Star Sanses was tiring, but it was fun too. He considered Dream a friend, even if he noticed similarities in both their personalities that made him uncomfortable. The difference was, Blue had changed. Dream did not.

This whole twin thing was weird and he decided he had enough drama with an entitled younger brother back home, even if the possibilities for pranks were endless. 

Blue decided to just get this talk done so all the tensions between him and Nightmare's gang went away. After all, Blue was only an ally, he wasn't part of the gang by a long shot. Right now the situation called for teamwork, but his loyalty lied with Error and Fresh, not the goopy skeleton. A tiny voice at the back of his mind whispered there was no real need to help the gang as much as he did, Blue did it because they were friends too and Error was really close to Nightmare. He told that tiny voice to shut up, he needed a business approach to this meeting, not a friendly uwu one like the one he uses as a Star Sans.

He knocked on the door and hoped for the best. Maybe he would get to know why Fresh was so mad at Nightmare? How did he even managed to do that, Fresh couldn't really feel emotions.

He heard steps on the other side. It was a great surprise to find Dust on the other side. Usually the one who opens the door would be Cross. Not only that, but Dust didn't have his jacket on... Darn, he looked cute. Focus Blue!

"Follow me" said Dust, inmediately turning around without checking to see if Blue followed or not. Blue nodded anyways, because he was a good guest! 

They walked through the corridor in the first floor, going upstairs by the stairs in the right. This set up always reminded him of the Ruins entrance with a pedestal in the middle of a big room and two stairs that go to the same destination. It even had a purple tint, even if Nightmare's castle was way more focused on the blacks. The lamps gave a nice and classy touch as well, but his favorite would always be the windows. There were colorful mosaics that told the animosity between the Dreamtale twins in a simple and gruesome way that left no doubt as to the why of the battles that the two of them had over the years. A singular golden apple surrounded by a circle of black ones in a circular window up and between the mosaics of Dream and Nightmare in a battle position, facing each other. Dream on the right, Nightmare on the left.

Blue didn't know a lot about architecture, so the real names of those things escaped him, but it was so cool!

The walking pair turned right, ignoring the room in the end of the corridor that was the throne room, entering a meeting room instead. There was a cool rectangular table made of wood and black chairs, like those used to make something look more profesional but vintage at the same time. A white board in the back with its own markers. It had signs of wear. Where those stickers depicting the Sanses AUs?! He wanted some!

Everyone was seated, looking at Dust and Blue expectantly. Dust just sat down in his usual place between Horror and Killer, his expression serious. Everyone was very tense and Blue gulped. Gosh darn, it felt so hostile. They were looking at him like they were expecting him to attack them or something. Blue sighed and sat down in front of Horror and next to Cross. The monochrome skeleton at least had the decency to grimace and shoot him a compassionate, if somewhat uncomfortable, look.

"Seeing as everyone is here now, we can start today's meeting" announced Nightmare, looking at each and every one of the in the eyes. The black skeleton nodded and got up, going over to the board. "We need a name for the event that went down in the Multiverse and caused this whole mess, but for the lack of one at the moment, we'll call it The Event. When the meeting at the Sanses Council ends, we'll just change it and use the official name instead" Nightmare stopped. When everyone nodded, he kept going and writing with one of his tentacles at the same time. "We have checked all the original AUs that are accesible, even the ones under special protection, but we haven't found anything about Error yet. Anything to add?"

Surprisingly, it was Cross who got up to talk.

"I've been thinking that, if The Event made everyone go back to our own AUs, could this have happened to Error as well? I mean, it's just logical."

"Well, duh, but Error wasn't in the Anti-Void or we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place" said Horror, somewhat irritated. This sounded obvious to everyone, but Cross looked like he wasn't done just yet. He had that determined look in his eyes.

"Yes, but what if the Anti-Void isn't Error's AU?"

At that, they were silent. They kept thinking. It could be possible, Error didn't remember his past after all. But that made it more complicated.

"I thought the Anti-Void was the remnants of Error's dead timeline" said Blue, putting his own two cents. He was met with a simple nod. Blue was just glad this weird hostile air between him and the gang seemed to be put on hold for the moment. 

"Yes, I thought so too at the beginning" Nightmare hummed. His three free tentacles kept wiggling in place, betraying Nightmare's thoughtful and troubled state. "But it was just an assumption, since there is so much we don't know of that place. How would he end up there otherwise? But if he had an AU that didn't end up as the Anti-Void we may be in trouble."

That got everyone's attention. When thinking about it though, it made sense.

"His default setting was lost, he can't change skins like Blue can because he glitched way too much. But did he glitch because of the Anti-Void or because of his AU" Dust said, his expression almost the same except for a furrowed brow-bone. 

"I... never thought about that possibility" admitted Blue. "Maybe he is part of one of the unstable AUs, the ones we can't access by normal portals."

"Shoot, that would mean we would need a Science Sans to keep looking" Horror despaired.

"Either that or Ink, but I'm not comfortable with asking that darn squid anything" mumbled Dust, looking down at the table.

That statement was met with a lot of agreement from all the Sanses present.

Cross sat down in his chair again, looking crest-fallen and somewhat guilty. For what, Blue couldn't guess.

"I mean, there is always the possibility Fresh could get in as well."

Oh, that explained it. The whole gang tensed, looking at Blue carefully. 'Well' thought Blue, 'may as well get this over with and rip it like a band aid.'

"What even happened between Fresh and you, guys?" Blue swore he could hear Cross gulp. "Is this because of the fight we had because of Nightmare's tsundere tendencies and Error's disappearance?"

Killer burst out laughing, quickly followed by a startled laugh out of Cross that seemed to surprise everyone as much as it surprised himself. Nightmare looked somewhat pissed, but when you get to know him in his corrupted form one can know when it's serious. This time wasn't it.

"I don't have tsundere-"

"Sorry to tell you, boss, but you do" interrupted Dust. This only made Horror grin insanely and the other two to raise their volume in their laughing. Nightmare pouted. Betrayed by his own team of misfits. Blue smiled, happy they were getting along well again and didn't look at him warily anymore.

"But, seriously, what happened? Was it because of that reason? Because it doesn't seem likely" Blue asked when everyone calmed down a bit. "Like, sure, Fresh has a connection to Error, but that usually doesn't matter to him for long and it doesn't explain his behavior right now."

"Yeah, well, that fight was pretty bad" said Cross while nervously playing with his metacarpals.

"Dude, don't lie" intervened Killer, amused "Fresh was mad because of the Error thing at the beginning, sure. But-"

"Dude, no, what the heck, don't be a tattle tale!" interrupted Cross embarrassed, throwing a rubber chicken at Killer and hitting him in the whole face, cutting the other off.

"But what." As amusing as this scene was, Blue wanted to know. 

"But" continued Killer, an annoyed expression in his face while rubbing his skull where the rubber chicken hit him and clenching the other hand around said toy, making it squick. "Most of his anger comes because of the bath bombs."

Did Blue hear well? Was he imagining things or was this a prank? After a moment waiting for the punchline and nothing happened, he cautiously considered it seriously for a moment. He knew Fresh had a lot of bath bombs because he liked how colorful everything got when he threw it in Waterfall. It made sense, since it helped him to spread his virus faster and Fresh even used it sometimes with that specific purpose when he was feeling lazy. Such a classic Sans move that Blue secretly thinks Fresh originated from one.

"His bath bombs? What happened to them?"

"Those idiots" said Dust, his tone of voice and face practically screaming at the world how done he was with everything " threw Fresh's bath bombs in the toilet."

"You threw Fresh's bath bombs in the toilet?!" screamed Blue, alarmed. No wonder Fresh was that mad at him! That just wasn't done, he thought the black one had more common sense than that! "What the heck, 'Mare!"

"Well, I mean" Nightmare glared at Dust for a moment before switching that look to Cross, who gulped in fear again. "Technically it was Cross who did." 

Wow, that explained Cross' behavior alright. A prank gone bad was much more likely in Blue's books, especially if either Epic or Killer were involved with it.

"Hey, it wasn't entirely my fault! Killer flushed the toilet after I did that, repeatedly!" And there it was.

"Yeah, Horror just laughed the whole time and filmed it all. Good times."

"...heh" said Horror, blushing and looking proud of himself. Blue privately thought that the other didn't have any rights looking that cute while having a hole in his skull and staying in a permanent state of being covered in blood. 

"Dude, Cross, what the actual f*ck" said Blue, turning to Cross who was seating next to him and sweating lots. It was almost comical. "What are you, Kris?"

The question seemed to throw everyone off just enough to forget about the mood and turn to look at Blue strangely.

"What is Kris?" asked Killer, tilting his face to the right.

"It kinda sounds like a name, so wouldn't it be who is Kris?" asked Horror. He knew more human names out of them all so it made sense for him to make the connection, but it still threw him off. He hadn't heard that name ever, but it kinda sounded like last week's rations, Chris. Heh, neutral names were a pain, he still didn't know if he should use the "him" or "her" pronouns and his Snowdin had already eaten the kid.

"Oh, oh, I'll do you one better, why is Kris?" Cross asked, excitedly. This was just like a meme Epic showed him the other day!

"Oh my stars, you are all so dumb."

"You.. don't know who Kris is?" Blue asked, confused.

"Um, no? Should we?"

"Oh, right, this is an undertale Multiverse only, no Deltarune at all. My bad."

"What are you on, Blue."

"Nothing, nothing."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time, we will get to see what's going on with Goth and Error again! I don't know how much I can keep up my writing time now that classes are starting again, but I assure you all I'll try my best.


	6. This is my kid now, no take-backsies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goth wants to know what is going on, but his search for answers will get him questioning things again. Error is just along for the ride as his ghostly self. He misses his chocolate.
> 
> Also, Palette is a mess. But then again, what is new there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, finally! This fic does what it wants. I wasn't planning on making this chapter that long at first but here we are haha (TT^TT)

Goth was happy. It was obvious in the little details, like that subtle and soft smile he had in his face, his happy aura or that hidden skip in his steps. ~~Error~~ Glitch just watched him with a scowl on his face. He was getting attached, him! The feared God of Destruction! ~~Not like Goth knew that, but still~~. What kind of black magic that kid used to do such a thing, he didn't know. But darn. The kid was good, almost as good as Blue if not more. Error, the dubbed 'Mr. Glitch' kept fuming out of sight of the younger, who was in his own little world of rainbows and sparkles. How disgusting.

What did he ever do to deserve getting his soul, even if it was just a piece of one, attached to such a skeleton? Error just destroyed a couple AUs and killed billions of people, surely that wasn't bad enough for this. He ignored the little voice at the back of his skull telling he was starting to care for the kid and that it could have been worse. Heck, his soul could have even been connected to Reaper's!

Goth, obviously, was oblivious to the ghostly spirit's mood. He kept replaying his little meeting with his best friend in his head over and over. 

He enjoyed spending time with Palette a lot and it had been so long, too. It was a shame they couldn't spend even more time together, but Palette had missed Dream somewhat and he couldn't really fault the other for it. His friend had even explained that Dream was going to be stressed because of the Sanses Council and Ink, even if he didn't fully understand why. Goth knew his dad constantly complained about it though, so Goth was happy without getting involved. Palette would inform him of anything he deemed important, so Goth didn't see the point.

It was a shame Palette and his parents didn't spend more time together before this incident, but at least they were more or less connecting now? At least Palette and Dream were bonding, even if it was because of Ink's apparent irking nature.

'Oh, I assure you, that's a fact. Ink is bothersome.'

Goth stopped his little walk. Had he said that out lout? Weird, he didn't notice and he hadn't directed the thought at Mr. Glitch. He shrugged it off, sure it was nothing and maybe he did say it, but was too distracted to notice.

"That's not very nice, Mr. Glitch."

The black boned skeleton chuckled. 'It wasn't intended to be.'

"Besides, I think it's cute how he is finally getting to know his parents, they had been so distant before..." Goth sighed, his happy demeanor lessening a bit. Then, Goth felt warmth at the thought of Palette smiling happily and blushed a bit, muttering "I think it's cute."

He had said it in a low voice. Glitch heard him perfectly fine, smirking in a devilish way that just spelled trouble. Oh, how fun this was, teasing this kid may just be the cure to his boredom. Not like there was much to do in this form since he couldn't interact with anything or anyone else.

'Everything he does looks cute to you' and it was obvious. Oh so obvious that the fact the other kid didn't notice was baffling him. Glitch noticed and he was a social inept, oblivious to most if not all social cues, so what the heck. That Splatter reject or whatever really was a moron. He didn't deserve the kid tied to Glitch's soul piece! He would never agree to that relationship ~~unless bribed... even if he ships it~~ but that didn't mean he couldn't get some fun out of the possibility. 'I bet he could be coughing up blood and you would still think he was the cutest thing in the Multiverse.'

Goth flushed furiously.

"It's not like that! I just- I mean-" he stuttered.

'Sorry to burst your bubble, except not really sorry,' Glitch added quickly, the younger gaping at him. 'But you're head over heels for that funking kid. Just accept it.'

That was it. Goth was not a skeleton anymore. He was a tomato. The red of his determination magic finally got away with mutation and he is now a vegetable. It's not a blush, totally not, it's just his natural color now. Deal with it.

'Besides, it could be worse' Error continued, watching the kid struggle and loving every second of it. That face between a grimace and a smile was hilarious. 'With parents like Ink and Dream, it's a wonder the kid can even function.' And it really was. Glitch was surprised the kid even made it to his current age now that he thought about it. 'Did they even raise him? He looks way too well adjusted for a rainbow moron and I don't think a kid raised by the squid would last a year.'

Goth got his blush under control, reverting to his usual white bone once more. He hesitantly answered the question Mr. Glitch asked, but he was hesitant to discuss this certain topic. It felt too intimate. He didn't want to betray his friend's trust by telling his secrets to someone else, but given the fact that certain someone could only talk to Goth himself... Maybe it would be fine. 

"Well... Palette has always been distant with Dream and Ink, so..."

'Why am I not surprised' Glitch said, looking done with everything in life. 'I'm sure Ink even forgot a few times the kid existed. Happened with Paperjam and Gradient all the time until I gave up.'

"Who?" This was news to Goth. He didn't know those names and it revealed an important detail about Mr. Glitch. He wasn't a new Sans at all, he had connections with people in the Multiverse. Those names were not the usual ones you would find in an AU, so probably outcodes. Interesting.

'No one, kiddo. Don't worry your little head over it.'

Goth decided to drop the subject for now, but he would keep it in mind for the future. Just in case. Maybe he would even make a new friend as well? He only had Palette, but then again he never needed anyone else to make him happy.

"Okay... But going back to Palette's situation, you're not exactly wrong Mr. Glitch. I just... I guess I want Pally to experience a loving home for once. I feel so guilty always talking about my dad sometimes when he doesn't even talk to his most of the time..."

Reaper may have a lot of flaws, but he was a family man and it was obvious he cared. Maybe a bit too much sometimes, he danced on the edge between overbearing and overprotective over Goth. Maybe it was a good thing they had been apart all the time Reaper had been locked in Reapertale. But then again, looking at the glitch attached to his soul, maybe it wasn't. 

'Kid, that's not your fault' said Glitch, completely serious, the idea of teasing the smaller gone from his mind.

"But sometimes it feels like it is, like I'm making everything worse by telling him those things and I just... I just want him to be happy."

'Don't make me repeat myself. Listen, and listen carefully. It's not your fault. If anything, it's that squid and tree boi.'

Goth couldn't help but laugh, startles. He hadn't been expecting that. It was a weird way to comfort someone, but Mr. Glitch managed to make him feel better about the situation either way.

"I know, but still."

'Besides, where is your mother in all this mess?' Glitch asked, genuinely curious. For what he had been told and had observed by himself, Goth came from a loving home. Yet, there was no mention of his supposed mother anywhere, just his father Reaper, the disgusting being that the God of Death was.

"My mom disappeared when I was little so I don't remember him much."

'...'

Glitch looked at the other, taking note of the uncertainty and hesitation in Goth's posture. You know what, this was a kid and he was now connected to him in a kind of bond usually only parents shared with their children during the development of the small ones, so Glitch just made a metaphorical ball of his wariness ~~and natural tsundere disposition~~ of the situation and shoved it out of an imaginary window. This was now his kid. Funk it all, there was nothing anyone could say to change his mind. No going back now. 

'See? Tragic backstory right there, you can bond over your lack of maternal figures in your life. It will be easier to woo you boy that way.'

"I'm not trying to woo Palette!"

Ah, the blush made its comeback. Perfect.

'Keep telling yourself that, kiddo. Maybe one day you'll encounter someone idiotic enough to believe you, who knows.'

"Mr. Glitch, stop it!"

* * *

Palette was in a good mood today. He got to meet with Goth, after all, so it was perfect! He treasured every time he and his best friend hanged out. For him, there was no one else in the Multiverse quite like the young godling. He could be both cute and scary, but Goth was so sweet with everyone that Palette sighed dreamily. So perfect. He couldn't ask for a better friend.

After having his chat with Goth, he decided he would walk around Outertale a bit more. Breath fresh air (wasn't this space?) and look at the stars. He needed a bit of time to himself before going back to the Doodle Sphere.

The stars twinkling in the distance were bright and beautiful. But at the same time, they reminded him too much of his childhood in the Doodle Sphere. There was a lot of AUs there, so close but so far. The black expanse of space made him differentiate them a bit more in his mind, but Palette felt small. Alone.

He sighed and looked at the ground. A lot of people only ever saw Ink or Dream while looking at him, always telling him how much he was like the two skeletons. Palette didn't know if he should feel honored or upset about that. He had spent a lot of time alone growing up with none of his parents there to raise him, after all. He barely knew them. 

True, they were a God and a Guardian, they had a duty. And yet, he wished everything was different. He knew it was unlikely, but he wanted to try to connect with his parents, get to know them too as all those other Multiverse dwellers did. Why didn't they want him around? Why was Ink always avoiding him? And why did Dream look at him with so much sorrow in his gaze?

He didn't think there was something wrong with him, yet he wondered.

Palette sighed once again before raising his head and looking straight ahead with a smile. He changed his posture, now exuding confidence. That was in the past after all. Meeting his best friend Goth had helped him a lot, thanks to the other's encouragement he got the guts to try and talk to Dream after all.

Sure, it wasn't perfect, nor was it easy, but they were trying and that was enough for now. He ignored the inner turmoil he felt at Ink's... everything. He would deal with that later. Or, you know. Never. Never sounded perfect, actually.

It was a shame he had to leave his best friend to go with Dream, but he knew the meeting today was going to be rough on his mother. About Ink... Well, his father was more of the chaotic type, there was always the possibility he made it worse or wasn't even there to begin with. For a supposed God, Ink sure was careless... But then again, his father had that memory problem, so maybe it wasn't his fault this time?

Unlikely.

He kept thinking about his life and what was going on, minding his own business but aware he should stop procrastinating. Just when he was a bout to create a portal, he saw movement from the corner of his eye-light. Turning to look who could it be since this was a very rarely used path, he was surprised to find Ink. 

Ink probably forgot about the meeting confirmed. 

Oh stars, and this one was supposed to be very important. Dream had been stressing over it, wanting to be prepared and show a strong fort. Well, that wasn't happening any time soon. The meeting was probably done by now, but he should warn his father anyways, it was the nice thing to do.

Trying to call forth his weak aura of positivity so Ink would notice him, he walked over there.

"Hey dad, what are you doing here?"

Ink turned, somewhat startled. He had been deep in thought about what AU he should check next in his search for Error. Also, dad? Was this one of the kids he always forgot he has?

"Hm? Oh, it's you, eh..." looks like he forgot the name of the kid. Oh well.

The kid was white boned, so he probably wasn't related to Error. The aura the kid was projecting kind of reminded him of Dream. Shame, he wanted a kid with the glitch. Wait, didn't he have one already? Maybe he should go check. **After** he found Error, of course. But then again he would probably forget about them again, but it could be like a great surprise that never ceased to delight him! Wait, who was he talking to again-

Palette fidgeted under his father's white eye-lights. Weren't they supposed to be forever changing? This felt intimidating and uncomfortable. 

"Uh... Yeah, it's me. By the way-"

"What was your name again?" Ink interrupted, tone flat.

Palette didn't know if he wanted to sigh, cry or run away. He did none of those, tried to call forth the courage and confidence Goth always said he had and looked at Ink's face. The mental image of his best friend encouraging him always helped Palette, no matter the situation.

"Palette. My name is Palette."

"Right, Palette" Ink had that face that told you he wasn't really listening. He even looked somewhere else for a moment, showing his impatience with the current conversation. It was a common tick for Ink and Palette just about knew whatever he said would go in one eardrum and out the other. He still had to try and warn Ink, though. "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same question. Shouldn't you be at the meeting?"

"Meeting? What meeting?"

Of course. Of course the other forgot. Palette already suspected it but to have it confirmed was another thing.

"The one about the Multiverse thing? The one Dream is going to call The Multiverse Reversion" and he should know, he was there when Dream was trying to come up with the name and trying to get Ink to prepare his speech.

"Wait, you know Dream."

... omg. Was his father serious right now?

"You know what. F*ck this. Dream can beat your a*s for all I care."

Palette opened a portal to the front door of their house in the Doodle Sphere and left, feeling annoyed. Why did he even try?

Ink just watched him leave, the thought of _rude_ all over his expression.

"What a weird kid. His parents should do something about that attitude" he muttered before turning away and getting Broomie to open his own portal to Candytale. It seemed a plausible AU to look for the Destroyer since it had lots of chocolate to spare. "Oh well, not my problem."

Ink then paused as a random thought hit him like a train. Wait. Dream. PALETTE. WASN'T THAT **HIS** KID? Oh f*ck him, that was the one kid he always somewhat remembered. This hunt for Error was really taking a toll on the God of Creation.

* * *

Palette looked at the front door for a moment, trying to suppress his negative emotions towards Ink as to not upset Dream further. It was pretty much impossible, but he had lots of practice over the years.

When he felt somewhat ready, he opened the door and walked in quietly. The sight of a stressed out Dream greeted him almost immediately. The Guardian of Positivity was pacing in the living room from corner to corner, after all. And that was an impressive thing to do, given all the trinkets and random stuff that usually littered the floor because of Ink. At that thought, Palette's mood dropped a bit again, so he just tried to ignore it. 

"Hey mom..." he said, trying to get the other's attention half-heartedly. When he saw his mom turning in his general direction to face him, he waved.

"Oh, Palette. I'm so sorry that I told you to come, but please do not talk to me right now. I'm very busy."

'The what now?' Palette thought. His mom couldn't be doing this to him too, right? Oh stars, of course he was, Ink and Dream were always the same!

"Busy doing what, exactly" the kid said, his face looking so done, like he gave up on life.

"Busy planning your father's death."

At that unexpected turn of events, Palette perked up. Genuinely this time. Oh my, the troubles in paradise just kept coming one after the other, didn't they? But this was the one thing that Palette may enjoy.

Considering what just happened in Outertale, Palette couldn't resist himself.

"Can I join?"

It could be like family bonding time or whatever. Dream just sighed, looking ruefully at his son. That attitude reminded Dream too much of his brother Nightmare sometimes.

"Palette, please, just let me alone for a bit. I don't want to snap at you because I'm angry right now, it's not fair to you."

But the kid got angry, and rightfully so. Maybe Dream was trying to avoid snapping at his son. Ok, Palette could understand that, but on the other hand he just-

"Oh, but ignoring me the first, oh I don't know, eleven years of my life was fine."

"Palette..."

"Okay, fine!" And Palette just teleported to his room, locking the door and searching for his phone. 

He knew he just thought about it, but he couldn't- he just- argh! Why did he even bother anymore? Maybe he should just go bad boy and angsty teenager early and try his luck with uncle Nightmare. Just a thought! So tempting though...

* * *

Goth had gone to Reapertale, but he decided to teleport a bit far from the house so he could walk around a bit and talk to Mr. Glitch without interruptions or unwanted questions. He wasn't that far as his father always said Reapertale wasn't exactly danger free for the reapers and especially him for some odd reason about his mom, so he was near enough to be able to see Death's pantheon in the distance. To make up for the lack of distance, he just walked incredibly slowly.

"Mr. Glitch?"

'Hm?' hummed Glitch, floating lazily around Goth.

"Shouldn't you be more worried about being a fragment of a soul in a failed reaping?"

Maybe his phrasing was a bit blunt. Goth knew he wasn't the best at conversation or pleasantries, but he had come to understand that the glitch was very similar to him in that regard. So, for once, he didn't worry about that at all and gave his full attention to the other, who didn't change his lazy behavior at all.

'Honestly? I'm just glad I didn't glitch out of existence. Coexistence with the Gasters would be such a pain.'

Glitch just about knew the plotting and shipping that would occur if that happened. Heck, they were so weird that they would try to make him date at least half of the Multiverse or something as equally embarrassing. 

"Wait, can everyone glitch themselves out of existence or just a specific kind of monster?" Goth asked, feeling weird after seeing the other being so nonchalant about the serious topic that had come up unexpectedly.

'Well, as far as I know, only glitches have that possible end. But I didn't so I guess it's okay now.'

There was an uncomfortable silence before Goth just about threw all caution to the wind and decided to just spit it out.

"Mr. Glitch? I think we may have a problem then."

'A problem? Why?'

"Because I am a glitch."

That meant they weren't out of the danger zone just yet.

'Sh*t.'

Glitch then proceeded to act like he usually would, but at the lack of possible crash, he freaked out instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's a wrap for now! But woah, more than 1k hits and more than a hundred kudos? This is way too much, I'm so happy! ( ꈍᴗꈍ)
> 
> I hope you like the story so far. The plot is advancing and soon we'll hit a part I've been looking forward to write! Oh, and Idk if you'd be interested in it, but I wrote a One-Shot related to this. It's the part 2 of the Haunted series, which is going to revolve around this story. Just thought I would mention it... No? ... Ok. Shutting up now. (´·_·`)
> 
> But anyways, see you soon ᕙ(＠°▽°＠)ᕗ


	7. Kidnapping plans and other matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bad Sanses finish their meeting and reach a decision. It's a remarkably terrible idea, and they're definitely going to do it.
> 
> Also, Reaper is a soft boi. A soft, sad skeleton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone leaving comments and kudos! It makes me very happy and determined to keep going until the end of this fic  
> ( ꈍᴗꈍ)
> 
> Also, warning. This is a very long chapter, I don't even know what possessed me to write this thing. Hopefully, this is a one time, thing, or else I'll have to consider changing my update schedule.
> 
> Having said that, enjoy!

Once everyone had calmed down from the Fresh explanation, Nightmare let himself a moment to take a deep breath. They were getting out of topic and the situation was dire. Error was the destroyer for a reason, even if everyone in the room knew he hated his job with a passion uncharacteristic of the usually sad skeleton.

It was a thankless job, and Nightmare found himself cursing Fate once again for dooming such a gentle soul to such thing. The torture the voices became, the constant pain because of his very own glitches, the impulse to destroy Fate branded into Error's very codes... But it was all for one thing and one thing only.

Balance.

The Guardian of Negativity knew of balance, not just because of his title. He knew of the delicate state it was in (too much positivity and creation were the responsible of that) and that it may fall apart any day now.

Error not only helped his own balance of creation and destruction, but made Nightmare's job and continued existence just a tad bit easier. The fear the Sanses had of their own AU being deleted would usually be enough. But now that Error was missing from the equation, it didn't paint a pretty picture for any of them.

Too much negativity and the Multiverse would corrupt to its very core. Too much positivity and the once happy people would be twisted by Fate into something unregconizable. Like they did with Nightmare. Or like they did with his boys.

Yes. Ironically enough, this much positivity only led to the creation of more Dark Sanses, but sadly ones that couldn't be reasoned with most of the time. Nightmare sighed, wishing it didn't get that bad and they could have Error back before the rest of the Multiverse noticed.

Nightmare wished no one knew of the glitch's currently missing status, but sadly he knew the bitter truth. Because their natures were so intrinsically linked, his counterpart would notice right away that something was wrong.

It was just a matter of time before Ink spilled the beans.

“Getting back to the point of this meeting, we need to start throwing suggestions on how we are going to procceed from now on” Nightmare said, looking at everyone sitting on the meeting table.

On his left were Killer, Horror and Dust. On his right, an empty seat, Cross and Blue. He felt a weird surge of emotion he couldn't identify. Probably some positive crap, ugh.

“I say we try using chocolate as bait. Maybe Error will fall for it” Cross suggested.

No one knew what to think of that. Sure, the destroyer's addiction to chocolate was legendary, but they didn't think it would work. Nightmare thought to himself that the creator had probably tried that already while looking for his counterpart somewhere.

Levitating over the supposedly empty seat next to Nightmare, X!Chara, who went by the nickname C, looked at the skeleton he was bonded to. He suddenly felt a huge urge to hit the monochrome skeleton on the head, but he sadly didn't have neither the strength nor the physical body necessary for that action. So sad.

“Your idiocy never fails to surprise me” the goopy skeleton said, disgruntled because it was not a viable option.

The destroyer was missing, not hiding. He knew that Error would never let Blue worry that much about him and Fresh would find him no matter where. It was slightly creepy, but now that even Fresh couldn't seem to find the glitch, Nightmare found himself missing that centainty with every passing moment.

“Wow, is it a good thing? Cross perked up, looking like a dog who was told he was a good boy. C didn't even bother anymore and just retreated to the soul he shared with Cross, ignoring the protest he culd feel within the other, trying to keep C out there paying attention.

No dice. C would only wake up when they made their mind up, chaos inevitably broke loose or Horror tried to eat Cross again. Maybe he would make an exception for a fight, but there was little chance he would even bother.

“No, not all” Nightmare grunted.

“Oh...” the monochromatic skeleton replied, feeling downcast. So sue him, he thought it was a good idea. He even thought of trying to use his own stash as bait, too! Which he usually would never share, at that!

Horror snickered while Nightmare questioned his life choices once again.

How did he end up babysitting undefinitely four grown skeleton monsters that acted like toddlers, yet were feared across the Multiverse as fearsome killers?

It didn't change the fact that those four skeletons were his family now, the unhinged and crazy killers they were. Well, to his own amusement, Nightmare found this last little detail just made everything funnier. At least they could bond over terrible experiences and crippling depression that boosted his strength. And yet, he didn't want anything to happen to his boys, nor anyone else who he counted as family these days.

Which included Error, not so much Dream, the little yellow sh*t.

“Getting back to the topic at hand” Dust said, getting everyone's attention back to the reason they were all gathered in the meeting room.. “let's say Error wasn't in the Anti-Void all this time we were essentially quarantined” he ignored the cough of Blue, hiding what he said. Something about covid or some sh*t. “And if his AU really is one of the glitched ones, what then.”

"I mean, Fresh is an option" Killer suggested.

It was only rational to ask the other. Sure, the virus was mad at them all except Blue, but they were trying to help find Error. Surely that would mean a truce in their animosity in the mean time.

Blue shook his head, gently disagreeing.

"I wouldn't count on him too much for this."

Everyone was surprised by the answer. Sure, they didn't count on Fresh before earlier in the meeting, but they weren't taking it seriously. Surely, with Blue's intervention, the virus would help them. Except, now apparently that point was moot.

So much for that.

“Huh? What do you mean, Blue? I thought he cared about Error” Cross turned to look at Blue, surprised.

“Yeah, he's always overprotective and stuff” added Horror, ignoring the shudder running down his spine.

He was not scared, but.. He just somewhat agreed with the black boned skeleton when Error said Fresh was an abomination and a 90's nightmare. Besides, Fresh tasted horrible, like glue and rubber all together to make something nausea inducing. Just trust Horror in this, he should know, he has tried to take a bite before.

No one had the right to taste that horrible.

“Maybe so, but Fresh never intervenes in things that concern Error for some reason he doesn't want to explain” Blue answered, elaborating a bit more on his statement for the gang's benefit.

“It would make sense if you think about it” Nightmare mused, seemingly talking to himself but unknowingly helping Blue out. “It would explain at least why he remains neutral between the fights of Error and Ink. No matter how close to death either one has come, Fresh always stays out of it.”

Blue nodded, agreeing. Everyone accepted it at face value because there was no reason to doubt it, it did make sense after all. Blue almost felt bad about not disclosing the real reason Fresh never intercepted in those fight. It wasn't because he wanted to remain neutral, the virus didn't care about all that and was technically labelled as a bad Sans because he infected timelines.

No, the real reason Ink wasn't already dead, or at least something close to it, was because, well...

Fresh shipped it. Errink for the win.

Blue didn't think anyone in the room with him would appreciate that, so he kept his mouth shut. On the other hand, if anyone was to personally ask him about his thoughts on the matter, Blue would answer that he preferred a good Errormare any day.

At least in this kind of Multiverse. Maybe if Error wasn't forced to do his job... maybe that answer would change, who knows.

“He always knows everything of importance going on” Dust mused, calculating. “He is always there when something is happening in the Multiverse.”

“Right?” agreed Cross. “His commentary is really annoying sometimes, it breaks all the dramatic tension!”

“And that is the point” Blue added, knowing the Fresh virus enough to assume certain things.

It was a mix of boredom and always being in the right place at the right time. It helped that a lot of those events included Error, too. The relationship between those two always left Blue's head hurting, he just didn't see connection.

“Besides, even if he was willing to help you all out, given the fact that we're trying to get into glitched AUs, I'm sure he wouldn't agree anyways” continued Blue, trying to be convincing enough to get the gang out of Fresh's metaphorical hair. “He gets weird around those.”

“Huh?” Cross looked confused. “Maybe he was a glitch before becoming a parasite?”

“You are aware that being a parasite still qualifies as being a glitch, right?” said the Guardian of Negativity, looking utterly done with Cross' bullsh*t.

Nothing knew there, as this was a usual occurrence in the manor. Blue tried to suppress his need to laugh, somehow succeeding in his endeavor.

Horror hummed, putting his elbow on the table and resting his head on his hand. He was using his fingers in that tick of his that meant he was getting hungry and it slightly creeped out Dust and Killer, who were in his immediate reach.

“In any case” the goopy skeleton added, “if Fresh is not a viable option, then I'm afraid there's only one way to look for Error.”

“Wait, you're really thinking about kidnapping a Science Sans for this?”

“Yes. Yes I am.”

“But because of this Multiverse quarantine or whatever, all the Sci Sanses that managed to break apart to form their own timeline, were overwritten and reconnected to the timelines they previously belonged to” said Cross, disgruntled at the use of the 'overwrite'.

Everyone knew Cross was right on this. One only had to look at the dismayed faces on the Sanses that were close to a Sci, or the ones that had commissioned a machine from that type of Sans.

“I am aware. Nevertheless, we just need to find one that has already breached out into their own AU.”

“It's pretty much impossible for that to happen in such a short time, boss” said Dust, still looking warily at Horror and asking himself if he should ready a bone attack. Just in case.

Killer silently took out a knife from his inventory and started petting it in his lap like one would pet a cat.

“Not if they already had AU interaction” Blue intervened, knowing that much because of all the time he hung out with the Star Sanses and the Council, Ink in particular.

In the background, Horror lunged at Killer before being stopped by one of Nightmare's tentacles, which brought the hungry skeleton back to his seat and shoved a monster candy in Horror's mouth. Killer hissed, making stabby motions with his knife in the other's general direction before settling down.

“But who would have already messed with one?” Dust asked, sighing in relief before going back to his impassive facade.

There was a lull in the conversation. They needed a way out of this impasse and quick, because the days the Multiverse could last without Error's destruction were very limited. Besides, they all cared too much about the destroyer to just leave him behind like that, they would never abandon him if they could do something about it.

Heck, they would even try to force a Sci Sans if they didn't find another solution. It was very difficult to do so, as the timeline progression usually didn't let outsiders in at that time, but they would find a way eventually.

Blue was considering all the options he had as both a bad Sans and a Star Sans. It was nearly impossible to get a Sci to help them, given that right now there were none out there, but there had to be a way. Their Multiverse was way too overcrowded for there not to be, and the Underswap Sans never thought he would see the day he would be thankful for that fact.

This would be easier with Classic's help, since his Sci was from the original timeline and he was more in tune with all the sciency things. Maybe if the ship with Red had sailed, he could have used that, but no dice.

Sadly, Red and his Underfell copies were extremely protective of the Science Sanses, so no Kustard. Red and Sci were cute, don't get him wrong, but at the same time-

Rip his multishipper soul.

Wait-

“Oh! This just gave me an idea!”

And what a great idea it was, seeing it would get them out of a hard spot. Blue knew things. He shouldn't know, or even better said, shouldn't even be able to know. And it applied in this case, too.

“What are you thinking, Blue?” asked Cross, startled because of the sudden outburst from the other.

Given the fact that he was a swapped Sans, he still wondered sometimes why were they even surprised. Then Blue remembered he usually didn't give a da*n about his supposed role in Underswap and things started to make sense, since he hated how he was viewed by Sanses in general because of that little fact. He usually was comfortable and subdued around the gang, not his boisterous and over the top self everyone else knew him for.

“Well, it was a long time ago and I don't remember a lot about it-” which was true. This topic was tricky. Not because it was a controversial topic or anything, but because he didn't fully remember what happened. It was more of a gut feeling, flashes of moments he never remembered living and sometimes a connection to another AU Sans.

He wondered if that was how Classic felt when he started being aware of the resets.

Blue kept going, unfaltering even as his thoughts wandered in directions he would rather not. “-but I remember there being a party-”

“What, too smashed to remember anything about it?” Horror interrupted, smirking suggestively and moving his bone-brows up and down.

The things Blue had to deal with, honestly. Still.

“Hah! I wish!”

“Wait, wha-”

“But sadly, it wasn't because of that” Blue ignored the looks the rest was giving him at that off-handed comment. He had a lot of practice doing that, it wouldn't be neither the first nor the last time this happened to him. “I think it was because the party was held in the Void.”

Blue's tone was more like a question than an actual statement towards the end, but it alarmed the gang all the same. Nevermind the earlier comment about alcoholic drinks, this was higher in priority.

“How could you even enter the Void without getting ripped apart?!” Cross cried in alarm, giving voice to what everyone was thinking. Incredulous and checking to see if he heard wrong, Cross didn't know wether to be disappointed that he did in fact hear correctly or shocked.

Shocked sounded good, he didn't need to process the implications then because it didn't fully register. Yeah, he so prefers shocked than accepting. Blue was weird sometimes and got into a lot of as equally weird situations, but this felt like a bit too much, even for him.

“I told you, the details are fuzzy at best!”

“Then why are you bringing it up now?” Nightmare asked, huffing. His tentacles wiggling with impatience, as if that wasn't obvious enough by the scowl and light glare he was sporting. Irritation at its finest. “I fail to see the connection.”

“BECAUSE!” the high volume made Cross wince, so Blue lowered his volume to a normal level again. “I do have vague flashes from back then from time to time. And there were a lot of Sanses...”

Lot of Sanses weren't weird in the Multiverse, it was actually pretty common since most AUs were modeled after the original. But in this context and taking into consideration what they were talking before, there was only one logical conclusion to come to. And it seemed like Killer was the first one to connect the dots, judging by the realization in his face.

“Are you implying there was a Sci Sans there?” Killer asked, his bone-brows rising up his frontal bone as what he said registered in his mind, surprised.

“Exactly!” Blue nodded, getting excited. “So, even if his timeline did go back to a previous setting like the rest of Science Sanses-”

“Because of the interaction in a Multiverse event in the Void of all places...” Dust cut the other off, disbelieving to his own ear canals. Killer's brow bones just kept rising up as the realization hit him like Blue's hammer hit Cross that time the monochromatic skeleton tried to steal all the tacos.

“It may be already branched off because of the code!” Cross beamed.

“Not what I was going to say, but close enough!” Blue smiled, happy they had gotten a solution to their early set back.

It really was lucky that Blue remembered the connection the Underfell Sanses had to the Science Sanses. But he knew the original Underfell, the one that got the unoriginal but easily remembered nickname Red, was close to that one in specific Sci that was perfect for what they wanted to do.

“Besides, I think this particular Sci's timeline was part of one of the glitched AUs, so because the AU he belongs to isn't there anymore to make the progression linear, he may actually be the only Sci we can count on being there already.”

Dust whistled, impressed. “Now, that is what I call convenient.

“Right?” Blue nodded, a huge smile plastered on his face.

Still, even though they had a plan now, Nightmare still looked unimpressed. It's not like he wasn't happy about this turn of events, even if positive emotions were hard both to feel and recognize for him due to his corruption.

“I think we're getting ahead of ourselves here” Nightmare said, ignoring Blue's confused 'huh?' for the time being.

They knew what to do based on their initial theory, sure. But they were making a plan on just a specific set of circumstances.

“I don't understand” whispered Killer, looking at his boss warily.

No one knew where Nightmare was going. They kept exchanging confused look between themselves. At least, they were before Blue shot out of his seat and slammed his gloved hands on the wooden table, making a deafening sound that got everyone's immediate attention.

“Wait” he said, his voice grave and shaky. “Are you implying what I think you're implying?”

They only heard the slime sound the dripping corruption of Nightmare's body let out for some tense minutes. Blue and Nightmare stared at each other, not quite sure of how to react to the hidden meaning behind those seemingly innocent words.

Because, if Error wasn't in the Anti-Void, nor was he in his aledgedly original AU... Then where was he?

“What if he glitched himself somewhere else?” Nightmare whispered, but with the impact his words had he may as well have shouted them. Everyone tensed, especially Blue. Nightmare just kept going with his theories, his mood unusually somber and morose. “Maybe to the Void itself? Another plane of existence?”

* * *

Destiny, who was listening in the conversation, shuddered at the possibility. As much as they wanted for Error to get free of their forced job, the possibility of the skeleton ending in their plane of existence was uncomfortable for them. Specially considering the ranting Fate somewhere to their right, trying to yell Ink into complying to his job to no avail. Even though hilarious, these sessions usually ended with Fate screaming at Error instead because he did hear them, even if the skeleton tried to ignore them all. Destiny didn't think the coexistence of those two 24/7 would be a good idea.

* * *

Blue's bones started rattling. Cross gave a sympathetic wince. The monochromatic skeleton knew Blue and Error were very close. Everyone in the Bad Sanses knew that, actually. To acknowledge the fact that someone they loved like he was family could be just gone without a trace, without a lead... It felt pretty darn damning.

It felt like a loose of hope. It felt like despair. It felt like they were back to their crazy selves, the ones that destroyed or condemned their very own AUs.

No one liked that feeling.

“No” answered Blue, even as Nightmare looked at him with an unreadable expression. There was certainty in Blue's voice, an unshakable belief. “I don't think that's a possibility.”

Nightmare's tentacles tensed. He... didn't want to consider the fact that Error could be gone forever, but... “Blue, consider the possibility for a moment-”

“NO!”

The indignation running through Blue's mana lines felt unbearable, a rage so hot it burned him from the inside. Burning, always boiling till even his bones melted and there was only a stain of marrow left on a carpet in his place. He wondered if that's how the Sanses with determination in their bodies felt.

'Oh boy' Horror thought, watching Blue closely. The other was so mad his eyes were shining bright in an ominous cyan.

“You're treating this as if Error was dead! Last I checked his strings are still in the Anti-Void!”

Cue the glaring contest between Nightmare and Blue, a silent battle of will taking place. Being honest, no one in there wanted to take the possibility into consideration, they all wanted to find Error and for everything to go back to normal. Yet, they weren't naive enough, too scarred and damaged, not to consider it.

“But they're fading, aren't they? You said so yourself!” Nightmare spit out, stopping Blue short. He had said that, because it was true. He had even showed the gang through a portal so they could see the pitiful sight in his desperation for help.

Maybe Nightmare wasn't wrong considering the possibility, but Blue refused to even think about it. Error just had to be out there, trapped somewhere. He couldn't have died, he knew the deities wouldn't let that happen, would they? Who would be there to stabilize their Multiverse?

No one else could live with Error's condition and status, yet the black boned skeleton managed to pull it off with style. Amnesiac, haphephobic. The other was clearly traumatized yet living the best life he could considering everything. He just-

Blue couldn't. Error had to be out there.

And he would find him.

“So what if they're fading? There's a long way from there to be dead! For all we know it's because his glitchiness is gone or something!”

At that, the silence came back.

Blue had said it in the heat of the moment, of course. He actually didn't believe Error could free himself of Fate's strings that easily, nobody ever could. But now that he thought about it, where Error's string powers from himself or because or his role as destructor? Was Fate the responsible for that too?

Horror blinked. “Want a taco?”

“Dude! So not the time!” Cross shouted from across the table, getting up and between Nightmare and Blue without noticing due to his indignation.

Both blinked, getting out of their enraged trances of glaring at each other. The tension left from the glaring skeletons. There was no fight left in them for the moment as both wanted Error to be safe and well. An unspoken agreement ro let this go and look for Error as if he was trapped in an AU, shared between the wavelengths of their souls.

“So what” Horror shrugged, smirking. “It might make him feel better.”

“Uh... Can't say no to that logic” Cross turned, watching the Underswap Sans consideringly, weighting his options. “Hey Blue, want a taco?”

Cross' oblivious nature saved them once again, Killer duly noted, Nightmare's tentacles going limp and the tension on Blue's expression leaving completely. Now, they had to decide what their next move would be. Seeing nobody was going to ask the obvious, Killer took it up onto himself.

“So, in the end, we still have to decide what to do in the meantime while we locate the Science Sans.”

Nightmare hummed. “Explain.”

“Yes, boss” and so Killer did, facing everyone in the room. “Basically, what I'm trying to bring up is how the balance is going to be, well... Balanced, while Error is gone.”

“Oh?” Blue asked, curious about what they would come up with.

“I didn't think about it before, I hoped we could get to Error before thinking about a plan B would become a necessity” Nightmare mused, troubled.

'Are you sure it wasn't because you wanted your glitchy safe under all those goopy tentacles, Nootmare?' intervened C. Cross eeped, surprised because he didn't notice when his tenant had come out of their soul.

“Shut up, C!”

Everyone looked at Cross like he was crazy. Well, except Dust. So sue him, he had ghost Papyrus following him around everywhere. Blue heard the Voices of the Anti-Void, yet acting this way with everyone was way too funny to pass up.

“What are you looking at?” Everyone sighed and looked away from Cross, who was starting to show signs of distress. “WHAT!”

Horror started munching Dust's humerus before being shoved away by said skeleton.

“I mean, we can always dust everyone in the AU” suggested Dust, trying to suppress his LV thirst. Horror tried to chomp at his hand, at what Dust quickly put said hand in his hoodie's pocket.

“Don't ignore me...” cried the monochromatic skeleton.

So, obviously, in response, everyone ignored him. C cackled, glad they went out when they did.

“But without a way to keep every kill from resetting it won't be enough” Killer countered, shutting down Dust's suggestion.

“And corrupting the timeline with negativity won't work, either. I have tried in the past.”

The gang was looking for a solution to their problem, each of them in their own little world while C considered going back to sleep if nothing interesting was going to happen.

Blue looked at his lap, letting the shadows hide his face and let out a soft laugh.

“mweheheheh...”

“Uh, Blue?” Horror wouldn't admit it, but seeing the smaller like that was concerning.

“You okay, dude?” asked Cross, not knowing wether to put his hand on Blue's shoulder on sympathy or stay away. He watched helplessly at C, who just shrugged having no idea either.

“MWEHEHEHEHEH!” Blue faced up again, startling both Cross and C.

“I think he lost it.”

“It was a long time coming.”

'Sh*t' Nightmare thought, a wince on his face. 'How am I supposed to explain this to Error.'

Blue just kept laughing. Loudly.

“Okay, this is starting to creep me out” whispered to C, his eye-sockets glued to the maniacally cackling skeleton next to him. The ghostly human a mirror image to Cross' posture.

'Holy-'

“What the f*ck is so funny?” asked Dust, getting -unnerved- mad now.

“Oh, you guys are really cute sometimes” was the only answer the hooded skeleton got.

“Wha...” Horror half asked, blushing a vivid red.

Dust's eye began to glow an ominous red and blue, the colors mixing and being perceived as a purple flame.

“Who the h*ll are you calling cute, you little-”

“I am offended, yet somehow not surprised by this turn of events” Nightmare cut the raging Dust off, his expression deadpan and one of his tentacles ready to subdue the hooded skeleton if needed.

“I mean” said Blue, trying to keep his laugh under control. “It's not like the whole Multiverse is doomed just because Error is away for the moment.”

“I think it kinda is” Killer added, doubting what the other was trying to say.

“Yeah, dude” agreed Cross. “If there's no one holding up the balance, then we're all screwed.”

Blue was smiling way too wide, his mouth trembling visibly because of the effort he was making trying not to laugh. It was getting on Nightmare's nerves.

“Cease this nonsense and get to the point already, Blue” the Guardian of Negativity snapped.

“Okay, okay, mweheheh” the Sans from Underswap got comfortable, getting ready for the chaos to start. “It's just that there IS someone to hold up the balance in the meantime, even if it's not a long term solution.”

“Oh yeah?” asked Dust, settling down and looking down on, what he assumed, was Blue bluffing. “And who's this mystery person?”

The sound of static assaulted their senses first, a sound they were used to in the presence of Error, yet slightly different. Lighter.

Then their eye-sockets were getting wider and wider as they saw white bones turn ashy, then black. A yellow star down on the left cheek and three more on the right, around a bright blue eye-socket with a yellow eye-light, a magenta circle in the middle. Bright blue bandana turning a bloody red, error signs all over black clothes. Pink and blue bones in the arms.

Blue just sat there, letting everyone take in his appearance as he changed to his Blueberror 'skin'.

“ME, OF COURSE!”

“WHAT THE F-”

“AH, IT'S THE DEVIL!”

“BLUE?!”

“WHAT THE H*LL-”

Nightmare didn't see this coming. Yet, looking back on time, he feels like maybe he should have. But wow. Just wow.

* * *

After that enlightening conversation where Goth learned that glitching himself out of existence was in the possibilities for him and the existential crisis that followed said revelation, Goth just wanted to lay down on the grass and cry. It was so tempting too, even if he knew the comfortable feeling of grass beneath his body wouldn't last due to his aura killing it eventually. Why did they even have a garden in front of Death Manor was something that the young reaper would never understand. As well as the reason for living up here in the surface with the rest of the gods, instead of down in the underworld like his dad used to do a long time ago.

He had heard uncle Grim talk about those times fondly, when they weren't disturbed if they didn't want to be, sheltered from the rest of Reapertale's inhabitants and sharing their living space with the souls they reap. It sounded fantastic right about now, to focus on helping a poor soul pass to the cycle of reincarnation their AU was bond to, instead of pitying himself in front of the manor that was his house.

It would be suspicious if he went away now after being so much time wondering the Multiverse without even setting foot in his own house. It would raise red flags and both Reaper and Grim would go crazy with worry. He didn't understand why before. Unfortunately, now it made a little bit more of sense.

He could even feel his dad's presence in the surrounding area, which meant he probably was at the house and had noticed Goth, too. Besides, Goth thought while straightening his posture, he came here with the goal to get answers, and right now there was only one person he could think of going to.

Glitch was floating behind Goth, glancing at the kid with badly masked worry. The gesture warmed Goth's soul to the core for reasons even he didn't fully comprehend, but he liked it. It felt nice. The only thing missing was the snarky or slightly concerning remark coming out from Glitch's voice, yet Goth knew that wouldn't happen any time soon. They had agreed that the black boned skeleton would try to remain silent for this conversation, as they both felt it was important given their current situation.

Oh, Goth was no fool. Maybe a little naive, but he was sure that Glitch wouldn't be able to resist at some point. That's why they had decided to practice and mess around a bit with their soul's connection. It worked flawlessly, the advantage of Goth being able to talk to the other via his thoughts was something really convenient. Now, the little godling only had to be able to multitask with two parallel conversations and being careful with his face's expressions.

He figured it would get easier with time, so he just went along with it.

He hoped this wouldn't last enough for that to happen (except he didn't want to be away from Glitch, just the thought sent a pang of pain and longing in his chest and he didn't even know why-).

Gathering his thoughts and getting ready for a heart to heart (even though they were skeletons, so it would be more like a soul to soul, yet the mortals idioms managed to affect even the gods' speech), he opened the doors to Death Manor.

Unlike what many thought, it was not full of dust, black and screams of the damned, gods forbid. No. It was actually a pretty nice house, with white walls ourside and a cute marble fountain in the middle of a lush garden. There was an obvious trail where nothing grew, an obvious mark of the inhabitants' magic and nature, but the magic of Life managed to keep this little haven for the Gods of Death alive.

Inside, the feeling of warmth and coziness was given priority over other things, but it still had that sophisticated touch that marked it apart. Marble columns, black tiles and checkered patterns on the floor, rugs and blankets with an ashy color... It was truly a magnificent sight, yet the sleeping Reaper in the middle, muttering while dreaming about stars knew what, was what really made it home for Goth.

Knowing this next conversation wouldn't be easy, yet knowing of its importance in the long run... Goth felt filled with determination.

With the burning determination he was so used to his whole life running through his mana lines, he felt ready to ask questions even if he dreaded the whole thing with a passion. Because of his laser focus, Goth missed how Glitch gasped at the familiar feeling through their connected souls.

Feeling shaken, the God of Destruction thought that that feeling was... Addicting, in a way. He remembered it from his crazy days, when he didn't even care about being Fate's puppet and destroyed gleefully. Thanks to Blue those days were over, but he had a nagging feeling that it wasn't just from back then.

There was something else, something he was missing, just out of reach...

His error signs made his whole body glitch for a second, and the moment passed. He didn't even remember what he was so concerned about just now, so he just watched the kid.

Goth took a deep breath and sat down on the couch next to Reaper, hugging his dad. He felt how Reaper slowly came back to awareness, registering the presence next to his and sleepily returning the hug. Goth hide his face in his father's robe, wanting the world to disappear for a bit, hiding in Reaper's robe for a bit like when he was just a babybones, before metaphorically facing the music.

Reaper, to his credit, just elevated one of his bone-brows, humming a calm tune and caressing his son's skull in a comforting way.

The young reaper melted, the tension leaving his shoulders. An ache he didn't know he had leaving his body at last. It was silent for a moment, Goth having to battle himself so he wouldn't give in in the temptation to take a little nap right there and then.

Still, now that he felt secure and safe in his father's embrace, the kid decided to get it over with and get some actual answers at last. It had been more than three months now and he had yet to find even a clue on how to fix this thing with Mr. Glitch.

Goth knew he couldn't ask his dad directly, there would be questions and with Reapertale's Chara story, it wouldn't end well. He glanced at Glitch for a moment, trying to steel his resolve. The black boned skeleton looked a bit shaken, but over all in good condition. It wasn't exactly nervousness, but then again Goth wasn't good at identifying other's emotions, that was Palette. Glitch shook his hand in a dismissive way, then gave a little nod in his direction.

Goth knew this was it. He had Glitch's trust on how to proceed, the little pep talk the other had given him when he was doubting if this was the right thing to do (even if Glitch wouldn't admit he was trying to help Goth) was working wonders. Now or never.

“Dad?”

“Yes, Gothy?” Reaper replied, instantly. His eyes were black voids as usual, not giving anything away. His aura was calm and collected, yet Goth knew this was a bit of a facade.

His father loved, and deeply at that He just never exteriorized his feelings in the best way... Or most appropriate, in any case, if uncle Grim's stories about his parents pas was anything to go by. He so wanted to just spring the question at him, but he knew it wasn't a good idea. So, because he knew the situation could get out of control very quickly, the topic still being sore for the grieving skeleton, the kid decided to slowly ease him into it.

“You know how I'm technically a glitch, right?”

There, that was as good a start as any. Not that it was perfect, but Goth felt it was good. Short and to the point, yet innocent enough to not hurt his dad's feelings.

“Well, of course...” at the pause their conversation took, Reaper took a moment to consider Goth's behavior. Something happened, that was obvious, but what exactly that something was, he had no idea. “Where are you going with this, kid?”

Goth gulped. Here came the first obstacle in this weird race for answers. He raised his head to make eye-light contact with Reaper for a moment, before changing his mind and looking down and to the left to the soft grey carpet in the ground.

“I may have been talking to others like me?” he winced. He had wanted that to come out as a statement, not a question.

Because he was looking down, he completely missed how Glitch was glaring at Reaper with both hatred and a warning. One wrong move, and the other would pay. Nevermind his current lack of physical matter and spiritual presence (judging by the fact none of Reapertale's weird ghost people seemed to notice him when Goth and Glitch entered the AU), he would find a way to make the God of Death's life horrible.

The young reaper risked a glance at his father's face, but... At the expression on Reaper's face, the little one had the urge to wince and hide once more, trying to ignore his problems enough that they would go away. But it didn't work like that, nothing was ever that simple.

The God of Death just sighed, a little sad mixed with light disappointment that felt like acid to Goth. “I thought we talked about this” his voice was low, a deep tiredness lacing his tone. “That's very dangerous, son. You can never be sure when it comes to glitches.”

Somehow, those last words were what brought Goth's mood through the mud, even if it clearly wasn't intentional. The kid's face was pitiful and dejected, like a kicked puppy.

Glitch knew this was the kid's father an all, but he couldn't help the little killing intent his aura let off. His error signs rose in intensity, as well as the static sound rose in volume. So the other was the kid's father, big deal. This kid was his now too because he said so! That abomination would pay, he knew how to hold a grudge and no one messed with the people the God of Destruction claimed as his to protect.There had to be a way for Glitch to kill the God of Death, immortality be darned. And even if there wasn't, he would make one, or at least make the other suffer. 

Oblivious to the skeleton plotting ways to make his life miserable for daring to make the kid sad, Reaper looked at the little skeleton in his embrace. He felt regret, even if he didn't quite know what he did wrong this time. What would his darling Geno say if he saw this? Reaper shuddered. He probably would be running away from an overprotective mother with a bloody slipper in hand, chasing him around. The horror. He so wanted that to become a reality, at the same time. He sighed.

“Look, Gothy. I'm sorry I told you that. You're a glitch too, and you don't deserve that kind of comments. I just... I worry. A lot. And I know this isn't probably fair to you, but please, try to understand... I can't loose you too.”

And those words pacified Glitch for some reason he didn't understand. The black boned skeleton turned away, covering the lower part of his face with the hem of his blue scarf, face unreadable. What was wrong with him now.

Goth, on the other hand, looked away, not meeting the searching gaze of his father. He was feeling a bit hurt, yet he didn't want Reaper to see just how much by letting him read his expression. Sanses were notoriously good at that. He knew his father worried, yet the turmoil he felt inside wouldn't stop.

He knew he was different from the rest, his code couldn't decide if being stable or stable should be the status quo. He was tired of being isolated because of that very same reason. He understood, he did! But he just...

“I'm sorry, son.”

Goth sighed. He knew Reaper didn't mean it in a bad way. He got the glitchy code from his mother after all and, as far as he knew, they had loved each other fiercely. glitchiness and death touch and all. Even if his mother was a tsundere, whatever that meant.

“It's okay, dad.” Even if it wasn't. “It's not your fault.” And that was true.

In the end, he knew where his father was coming from. Knowing all he did now, he even thought he would probably do the same in his father's place. Glitch, on the other hand, looked unsurprised and unimpressed. He tried everything. Twisting in the air, staying upside down, admiring the admittedly bright decor in the manor or, heck, even tried to analyze the current holder of his wrath. But no matter how much he tried to come up with a reason with the weird familiarity he felt with that Sans, he couldn't for the live of him understand.

His skull hurt.

In the end, Glitch couldn't hold his commentary any longer, so he let the sassiness out.

'Except it kinda is' the little jump on Goth's small form enough to inform him the other hadn't really expected him to talk now. He grinned. Well, too bad, he didn't care. 'He's the one that was an insensitive jerk to ya', kiddo. What a stupid abomination, truly disgusting.'

The deadpan on Glitch's face at the last part, that was completely unmatching with what he said, lifted Goth's mood considerably. It had become a comfort at this point. What even had his life become that rude remarks against his father made him feel better.

“Didn't we agree you would keep silent, Mr. Glitch?' Goth thought, directing it at Glitch so he knew the other would definitely hear him. He glanced at the other, trying to not let Reaper on the fact that there was something amiss with him. 

'Okay, okay.' Glitch retorted, before muttering with a little hidden fond smile. 'Kids these days, I swear.'

Reaper sighed once more, getting Goth's attention to the situation at hand again. He really needed to get the hang of having two conversations at once and fast. He couldn't keep zoning out.

“I really am not good at this” Reaper whispered, caressing his son's skull again and tightening the hug a bit so he could rest his head on Goth's. That gentleness the God of Death always carried with him present in every moment, his melancholy and sadness easing a bit because of his son. It made the kid smile a bit, feeling loads better now.

Glitch scoffed, still keeping up that unimpressed attitude towards the other adult. 'No sh*t, Sherlock.'

Goth couldn't help himself. He snorted.

“Hey” said Reaper, his demeanor changing to a playful one with a lazy smile in his face. He let go a bit so he could face Goth again, face to face. There was an amused expression that seemed uncharacteristic if you only knew him outside of his Alternate Universe, a hidden playfulness that had eroded with time but was still present nonetheless. To the black boned skeleton seemed familiar somehow. Glitch stared a bit at the God of Death, before shaking his head and dismissing whatever that was. Probably the link with the young reaper was messing with his perception of things or something. “Don't you laugh at your old man's expense.”

Goth seemed amused. “Old?” he teased, his tone full of mischief. “Dad, you're the God of Death, you're practically ancient!”

'Roasted!' Once he didn't focus in the details too much, Glitch was enjoying this more than he should, really, but who cares. Certainly not him.

“Oh, ha ha. How funny. I see how it is now.”

“Oh, ha ha. I see how it is now.”

'Ok boomer'

"Ok boomer"

It took a moment for Glitch to process the fact that they had not only talked at the same time, both Goth and he said the same thing. Unexpected, considering the usual politeness Goth had with everything and everyone around him. A stark contrast to his magic's nature, for sure, but on he had grown used to. His face showed his incredulity, so he turned his gaze to the kid.

'Wait, did you just-'

“Gothy...” Reaper's tone was a warning, but the playful shine in his esxpression he couldn't really hide betrayed that supposed anger. He had inadvertedly cut off Glitch's questions, and for that

Goth was somewhat grateful. It didn't win him any brownie points with the intangible skeleton, though.

Leaving that aside, Glitch was still a bit dumbfounded, his brows furrowed in a way it suggested he had troubles processing what just happened.

'Oh starts, you did. I'm not sure how I should feel about that.'

Goth shrugged, directing it at Glitch but using the context so his dad would misunderstand and think it was directed at him.

“Okay, okay, sorry” the kid said between laughs. Not even Goth himself knew to who he was answering this time. Both, he figured.

Reaper hummed, letting that go and going back to the start of their conversation, the playfulness leaving him once again. It made the kid sad that he only had those fleeting moments, but he would take it. “What did you want to tell me? About those other glitches?”

“Oh, right.” Now that the time had come, he was actually feeling nervous. The determination inside him burned so he pushed onward. Whatever happened, happened, no need to worry about it that much now. “Well, you see... I met an interesting one” at his dad's unimpressed face, Goth was quick to elaborate. “Not Fresh this time, no need to worry, dad! I haven't seen him lately since that whole Multiverse thing, either.”

Glitch shivered. 'Yeah, I would worry too if my kid was hanging out with Fresh' and he conveniently left out the fact he considered Goth his kid now too, supressing the urge to wince and pace around in worry. Well, levitate now, considering his ghostly state. 'Which is why I want to strangle PJ to death sometimes' he mumbled to himself, tone almost inaudible.

Luck, however, was on the young reaper's side this time, as Goth managed to catch that. It was not the first time his soul tenant had mentioned that name either. It showed Glitch wasn't exactly new to the Multiverse but with his limited knowledge there was not much he could do. He would keep an eye out for this PJ person, anyways.

“A new glitch?” Reaper's tone turned contemplative. “Those are rare and it's been a while since the last time one was created.”

'That you know of' added Glitch, his posture mirroring Reaper's without him noticing. 'The voices seem to like the glitched ones, don't know why.'

Goth hummed. Topic of Voices aside, he had argued with Glitch in the past too much about them, cool. “There are some from time to time, dad. But that's not what I wanted to talk about.”

“What is it then, Gothy?”

“It's just...” he was hesitating on how to approach the topic now that the time had come. “This new glitch mentioned something that worried me.”

Glitch laughed, shrugging towards the end of what he had to say. 'I get that a lot. If it's ever been a bad thing, I haven't cared before, so.'

And he had, especially when maniacally laughing and destroying AUs. Or in the rare instances when someone would hear him talk about the Voices of the Anti-Void. He wasn't crazy, really, Glitch just had a predisposition for murder and talking to disembodied voices nobody else heard, why the fuss.

'Mr, Glitch, maybe you should consider some introspection every once in a while.'

He just waved his hand in a dismissive way, not giving it importance. 'Nah, I think I'll pass.'

But Goth persevered a bit, pouting. 'Maybe some therapy, instead?'

'Nope.'

“Gothy?” his dad's voice called him to attention again. “Is everything alright?”

What a loaded question, even if Reaper wasn't aware of that fact. No, Goth certainly wasn't, but he wasn't going to tell him that, of course. But maybe he should use that?

“I'm not sure” Goth said out loud, while internally apologizing to his dad for manipulating him in this way. “I mean, he said that he was scared.”

A heavy intake of breathe and then, 'scared? I'm not scared of anything!' A pause for reconsideration, then Glitch amended his statement. 'Well, except touch, but that ain't a problem now, at least.'

That was new. 'Mr. Glitch? Are you really scared of touch?'

'It's called haphephobia. No hush and pay attention to that filthy creature you call a father.'

So Goth did, and just in time it seemed. He was so grateful that his father always took his time to do anything right now.

“Scared? Is someone threatening him?” the young reaper ignored the scoff and the suspicious 'as if' behind him and focused on his dad for now. “Goth, if there is any trouble you know we need to notify the Council as soon as possible.”

'Oh, believe me. If someone was threatening me they would be dead where they stood' said the black boned skeleton in true Sans fashion. If Goth ever had a doubt this was a Sans he was dealing with, it was dissipated in that very moment. 'And those council idiots are a bunch of morons, anyway.'

Which seemed redundant, but in this case and going off of what Palette had told him, seemed accurate enough. Besides, he was very opposed to going with this particular situation to the Council. If that was a plausible solution in his opinion, he would have gone there in a soulbeat. Sadly, it had to do with something related to his death magic, which was a controversial topic for everyone no matter where. The only people who could help him where his dad and uncle Grimm, but he wanted to avoid it as long as possible. Hopefully, long enough to fix it before they found out.

And that wasn't why he came here with questions, risking exposing himself and Glitch, in the first place. There was something that was higher in priority at the moment.

“It's not like that, dad.He mentioned something terrifying, but I'm not sure if it's accurate?” Goth squirmed a bit, sweating nervoulsy. “I know you know more about glitches than I do, so I thought I would ask if you don't mind."

That caught Glitch's attention. 'Wait, you're the glitch, not him. Even if he is a dirt abomination that shouldn't even exist in the first place' he ignored Goth's little protest easily enough, ' how does he know more about that stuff than you do?'

'My mom was a glitch with daily problems, he needed to know that kind of stuff so he could help.'

Which was kind of sweet of him, Glitch thought. Not many would have bothered to do that, nevermind learn enough to be able to answer questions about the subject. Glitch shaked his head, trying to get rid of that thought. What was wrong with him. Reaper was just another Sans, another number, another string of code.

A part of a balance that only saw their own, blind to the other two that ruled this Multiverse.

His tone was subdued when he answered, looking away and hiding his mouth behind his scarf. 'That makes sense, I guess. But still.'

Goth had the urge to chuckle. That move was surprisingly cute, maybe he could try to mimic it with his own red scarf sometime.

“Of course I don't mind, Gothy. You know you can count on me.” Reaper smiled ruefully, as if those words pained him in some unknown way. He whispered, “I promised you that.”

Glitch scoffed, still not facing the father-son duo. 'Oh, yes, because Sanses are known to ALWAYS keep their promises.'

'Really?' asked Goth, excited.

'No, kid. That was sarcasm.'

'Oh...'

That aside-

“Yes, I know. It's just that...” Goth inhaled deeply, filling his chest cavity and noticing how the air briefly tickled his ribs underneath his clothes. It was time to drop the question, here went nothing. “Is it possible to glitch yourself out of existence?”

Only the silence answered him, tension filling the air.

'Wow, it's deathly quiet now.'

Goth had to suppress the snort. It didn't look appropriate with how tense the God of Death looked... Deathly serious.

Heh.

'I thought you hated puns?'

'Eh' Glitch shrugged, 'they're just annoying when everyone uses them, Multiverse full of Sanses and all. I guess they're okay from time to time.'

Which, fair. Even if Goth disagreed (there were never enough puns, they helped in every situation you could find yourself in), the other had a valid point.

'But that Sans is way too silent' mismatched eye-light sharp, analyzing everything and assessing the other adult in the room. 'You should do something about it.'

'Wow, Mr. Glitch. You do care~' teasing his tenant was so fun! He should have tried before.

'I DON'T.'

'Sure, sure' he thought, his tone monotone. Glitch had a point, though, his dad's somber expression didn't bode well for him.

“Dad? Are you okay?”

“Gothy, you...” that void gaze searched for something on Goth's expression. Whatever it was, it seemed like he didn't find it. Reaper didn't know wether to feel glad or disappointed. “Yes, yes it's possible.”

'Told you.'

“Wait, really?!” Goth asked for confirmation again, because he had hoped that Glitch was wrong about this. So glitching himself out of existence was something he had to worry about now, too? How does anyone even do that?

“Yes” said Reaper, reluctantly before quickly interjecting with the rest he had to say on the topic before the younger could ask him about something else on this topic. Better to clear things up and explain to the best of his abilities, since this was something that caused Reaper so much worry. “But it's incredibly rare and no one is quite sure of what happens. Some say you simply disappear. Other say you dust, but that dust disappears as well because of the glitches. Another theory is that they end up in the Void, but not a lot is known about that place, despite the many efforts to study it.”

'Okay' Goth thought to himself. 'That was a lot of information in one go.'

'Weird how he just happens to know so much about that, isn't it? Suspicious' Glitch's tone was low, conspirational. He even leaned down next to Goth's shoulder in interest about the kid's reaction, the rest of his body still floating.

Goth ignored him for the time being. Glitch's smirk fell.

“But from all of these, which one do you believe in?”

“Honestly?” Goth nodded, even though he knew it was a rhetorical question. “None, son.”

'Darn' said Glitch, with feeling. Darn indeed.

“What? But you just said-”

“I said what other people think” intercepted Reaper, cutting off his son. “But think about it carefully, Gothy. Have we ever reaped a glitch?”

Goth tried to recall if they ever had. In his training, they never had done that. It could have been because his dad was still an emotional mess, even after eons Goth's mother had gone missing, maybe make uncle Grimm do it instead. But no matter what, Reaper wanted Goth ready to face anything he could encounter out there when he eventually got his title as a God of Death officially, so it didn't make sense.

So, with that reasoning, Goth decided to go with a hesitant “now that you mention it, no. We haven't.”

'And seeing our situation now, we know why that is, right?' Added Glitch pointedly. 

'How was I supposed to know?' So sue him, Goth didn't know it could end up like this. Actually, don't, he was a kid and he barely had allowance-

'You're one of the reapers, not me!'

Goth shaked his head, trying to pay attention now that they were discussing the topic. He didn't know when he would be able to broach the subject with his father again. Or if he would have the metaphorical guts to do so again any time soon.

“So, they don't die” and didn't that feel like a punch in the ribs for the Gods of Death? “You can access the Void, Gothy, even if temporally. Have you ever encountered a glitch that was there and couldn't get out?”

Goth hummed. Good point. “Not really. Their souls can't get ripped apart because of those very same glitches that give us that an adjective.”

“Exactly” Reaper nodded with approval. Goth squirmed again, this was starting to feel like one of the lessons of his training. “And now, for the other theory. If you disappear, your magic and matter have to end up somewhere, you can't just use the disappearing thing to ignore that.”

'True' Glitch added, looking pensive himself. He knew it was possible to glitch yourself out of existence, but he had never bothered to think too much about it. It was just a curious thing he knew but thought would never affect him. It wouldn't do any well to focus on it too much, either. But right now the situation had changed, it was different. They needed all the information they could get, and Reaper was proving himself as a valuable source of information.

Glitch felt amazed, but squished it down instantly. Seriously, what was up with that. He grumbled a bit, but accepted the fact that the other knew his stuff, reluctantly admiring the other a bit.

“Huh... Didn't think of it that way” Goth blinked. Still, it hadn't answered his question at all. “But if you don't believe in those theories, then what do you think of it?”

Reaper looked uncomfortable for a moment, before schooling his expression back to his usual lazy demeanor. It was a good act and it would have served to fool almost anyone else. Both Goth and Glitch saw it for what it was. An attempt to fool himself into a mindset where this topic couldn't reach him.

“I'm not sure what to think of it, even now” wistfully, Reaper looked out the window, admiring the garden outside of Death Manor. “I would like to thing they are out there. That something happened and they are just waiting to be found, because they are trapped somewhere and can't get out on their own.”

Glitch felt uncomfortable. He didn't know why, but this felt oddly familiar to his early days in the Anti-Void. Surely not, but...

“Like what happened with mom and the Save Screen when you met him?” asked Goth with enthusiasm.

Reaper looked back at Goth, admiring his looks for a moment before smiling faintly. His son reminded him so much of his love...

“Well, yes. Something like that.”

And in the God of Death's soul, a wound so deep and severe it seemed would never heal, closed a bit more. The scar was there, but it wasn't bleeding. Such a slow process.

'Kid?' the black boned skeleton asked faintly, almost inaudible. He was starting to feel antsy.

“That's so cool!” the kid exclaimed, oblivious to his tenant's hesitant and words for he could not hear him if the other was talking so low when he wasn't focusing on Glitch. “But dad?” his question was accompanied by a skull tilt to the right. Reaper's soft 'hn?' enough for Goth to keep going. “Why do you know so much about this?”

'Oh, so now you question it!' Glitch said, exasperated and still feeling a bit off. 'Really feeling the **LOVE** here, kid.'

Once again, silence and tension. The error signs on Glitch's frame buzzed wildly.

'Oh, c'mon, all this tension is **killing** me. I need answers!'

Startled because of the other's outburst, Goth questioned his father's relapse into himself with hesitance. This was a delicate situation because he didn't want to pressure his father or hurt him, emotionally or otherwise.

“Well, how to explain this?” Reaper asked, his voice hesitant about disclosing this particular piece of information. “Because the glitching yourself out of existence?” At Goth's little nod, Reaper just about said f*ck it, procrastination wasn't going to make this particular conversation go away any time soon, may as well get it over with and go straight to the point. “That's what happened to your mother.”

'WHAT-'

Goth choked a little. Not his proudest moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, I don't even know, I rewrote this like five times already so I just posted it like that. But why is it so long, omg. And don't get me started on what I have planned for next chapter, what a nightmare.
> 
> About the next updates, I do have classes now (a weird mix of online and normal classes), so I'll need a break to study (*shrugs). This doesn't mean I won't update, just that instead of weekly, maybe it will take two weeks or even three. Idk.


	8. Blue needs to chill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goth and Glitch talk. They need to know what to do next with the bomb that Reaper had dropped.
> 
> On other place in the Multiverse, Blue goes back to Underswap to keep up appearances. It goes as well for his mental state as he expected, which was, not at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple of chapters ago was a reference to a Dreamtale comic, the one by TheGrinningKitten. Only one person commented on it, so just to make things clear, that comic is canon for this fic. If you haven't checked it out, go do so, it's awesome!
> 
> I love references, so kudos to you if you can spot them all :D

The revelation Reaper had left them with hadn't settled well with Goth and it showed. Not only could he die because of glitching too much, but his mother already did. He had found out many things about his mother in the conversation that followed, too. 

His dad had explained how he met his mother, Geno. How one day, after the deities had made Reaper's work harder by making him the God of Death of the whole Multiverse, he had been called by a strong soul. Only, that soul refused to be reaped and fought furiously and viciously for their survival. That soul had belonged to his mother, the glitchiness his code had making him immune to Death's touch.

Apparently, that had been a shock to Reaper back then, who reevaluated his choices. He had even told Goth of a strange connection he felt towards the eternally bleeding skeleton, as if they had met before that encounter. A connection neither remembered having, yet was very present in their souls.

At first, Geno refused, but Reaper had been struck and started visiting until, eventually, they had him. Goth didn't know how to feel about that.

The situation was similar to his situation with Glitch in the fact that both his father and Goth tried to reap a glitch's soul, yet the results and story behind the incident were way too different for it to matter. Besides, Reaper and Geno had their connection from before the God of Death tried to reap his mother, not after, like his and Glitch's link was formed.

Glitch had been way too quiet in that conversation, too. 

In the end, he decided it had been enough to process for one day. After their chat, Reaper had left to do his job once more, muttering about Fate and Destiny under his breath with annoyance. Weird. But knowing that those two very same deities were the ones to force even more of the work his father hated oh so much on him, it was understandable.

He watched his father leave, but Goth didn't have the strength to go anywhere else, nor was he in the mood to explore the Multiverse a bit more. Sighing and playing a bit with the ashy blanket in the couch, he decided to go to his room in the second floor.

The door was a simple wooden one, made out of texus baccata if he wasn't wrong. Even when it looked mostly normal, the thematic of death was prominent as expected. Pushing it slightly and letting it close behind him, he ignored everything else and threw himself in his bed. 

Glitch phased through the door, watching the kid. He left the calm atmosphere wrap around him for a moment before addressing the topic that caused this emotional drain on the young godling.

'So, apparently, your mother just up and vanished one day' said Glitch, wincing. Not his best opening if he was honest, but he was a social inept and that wasn't changing anytime soon.

Goth hummed, still sprawled across his bed before rolling and looking up at the cream ceiling, the chandelier hanging tastefully in the middle. The candles, books and gothic details all dispersed on every available surface gave it a unique aesthetic that would have creeped out the normal monsters. Good thing none of them were normal. 

The kid gave himself a moment more to brood, before deciding that was enough. Half-sitting, using his elbows to prop himself up, he looked at Glitch with a lost look that pulled at the strings in Glitch's soul.

"I didn't know mom couldn't leave his AU at first. I just accepted it when dad told me, but that's not normal... I think?"

And that was part of the problem, the part that didn't let Goth accept everything fully. The supposedly happy ending his mother got, even if it was one neither Goth or Reaper could ever be a part of, hurt. But what hurt even more was that it was ripped away so suddenly. And if his dad was to be believed, that maybe the cause for that was the very own Geno.

Aftertale was a complicated AU, since it dealt with a being formed out of a split soul. Or should it be considered an Alternate Timeline instead? Goth wasn't sure. The whole progression of the events was similar enough to the original, at least until determination got involved.

Determination. The kid recalled that burning feeling deep inside him, the one that helped him push through every difficulty on his way. The irony, that the very same feeling he associated with safety and strength was the same that doomed Geno. 

Would it doom him as well? Was that how Geno glitched himself out of existence in the first place?

'Kid, when it comes to glitches, nothing is normal' interrupted Glitch before the younger's thought started spiraling out of control even more. 

It was obvious to him every time the other did that after spending so much time with the kid 24/7, yet he still didn't like it when that happened. Being trapped in your own mind while filled with negativity wasn't good, just look at the Bad Sanses. Or heck, even Nightmare himself. That's how the Guardian of negative emotions got himself corrupted in the first place, even if that particular mess was more complicated than that. 

'Our code is just funked up in too many different ways, always specific to one dirty glitch at a time' Glitch kept going, having Goth's full attention. 'That's why they need to go.'

Goth grimaced, uncomfortable with that last statement.

"So, you want me to die?" he asked, with a faint voice, lower jaw trembling.

Glitch tensed. Shit, he didn't want it to sound like that. He was not prepared to deal with emotions, just look at him, he himself was a mess most of the time. But he refused to let his kid cry, lack of actual parent-son relationship or not!

'Don't do this to me, kiddo' he started, begging. The things he did for those he considered his. 'I may be a bit crazy, but I'm not heartless. Just...' a sigh. Now he understood a bit more how Reaper felt while talking about a sensitive topic with Goth. Grumpily, he let his respect for the God of Death grow a bit more. Just a tiny bit! Looking at the sad expression the kid was giving him, Glitch let his expression go soft. 'Just know that someone out there really cares about you, okay?'

Goth chuckled. "You know, I thought about it before, but you really are a sap, Mr. Glitch."

Glitch saw it for what it was, an out. He was ashamed of himself for admitting it, but he went along with it without fuss. Besides, if the kid wanted to broach the topic, Glitch wanted it to be because the other decided to tell him when he felt ready, not pressure him into an emotionally draining talk so soon after the last one.

So, in the end, he decided to play along and do his darn best to lift the kid's mood while figuring out what were they going to do next.

'Am not. And stop calling me Mr!'

"No can do" that teasing voice was good to hear, even if it got on Glitch's nerves. But it meant that the kid was feeling better already. Good. "Besides, I guess it's nice to hear someone wants me around sometimes."

It still pained him to admit it, but Reaper was there for Goth, even with all the limitations his job as the God of Death presented. Even so, he wasn't the only one to stick with the kid through thick and thin either. 

Glitch may not have witnessed a lot of their interactions, but if their meeting in Outertale was anything to go by...

'Kid, what about that rainbow moron? He cares a lot about you.'

"Palette?" surprised the other even mentioned his best friend, Goth smiled warmly, his cheek bones warming a bit with red magic. " Well, yes, but it's not the same. When you say things like that, it feels..." for a moment, even Goth didn't know how to describe it, but the last part came out with wonder filling his voice, like he couldn't believe it himself. "Warm."

The black boned skeleton squirmed uncomfortable in place, hiding his jaw behind his scarf and looking away once more. It seemed like that was becoming an habit. Great, thought Glitch sarcastically, just what he needed, another nervous tick as if he didn't have enough of those already. 

'It's probably just the soul connection, you know.'

"Yeah, maybe" Goth tilted his head, conceding to that point, but gently disagreeing. "But still."

'Besides, you heard your..." this was difficult for Glitch to say, yet it was necessary for the kid to hear. He soldiered through the uneasiness this provoked in him for the other's sake. He still wasn't exactly thrilled about it, though, but he could make an exception this time. "... your dad. The whole reason your mother even glitched himself out of existence was because he was looking for a way to leave his AU. All that just to be with you and that insufferable guy.'

Glitch scoffed while Goth's eyes widened with surprise and wonder.

"I didn't think about it that way, but now that you mention it... Yes, he really cared" the kid smiled, beaming happily. "Makes me wonder how it would have been if he succeeded or even if he didn't try the DT experiments to get out of his AU."

'I don't know, kid' answered Glitch to the other's musings. Nothing good ever came out of thinking about what ifs. Still, the conversation made him consider other details that didn't add up. 'But there were some parts of that story that were weird to me.'

The explanation about the tale of Reaper and Geno was interesting, sure. Even if Glitch had a fierce pain in his skull the more he heard about it. 

If he still had his physical body, he would compare it to a time when he bumped into Ink's gigantic brush on the metal part with his occipital bone. Alas, he was more ghost than anything now.

But the details, the descriptions. It sounded familiar and not even in some dejà vu way he had been getting a lot lately, even if he pinned that feeling on Goth's part making his mind confused due to the soul link. No, this time it was different.

"How so?"

'Your mother's AU is Aftertale, that was very clear.'

Way to state the obvious, especially considering Reaper had said so himself. Nonetheless, Glitch reminded himself he was dealing with a kid here, even if an unusually bright one. He decided it would be better to lay his thought process before anything else. He usually wouldn't have bothered, but if he was right about this...

"Yes, although when mom..." a sharp intake of air from Goth's part as he searched for the correct word to use. "...disappeared, the AU glitched and became incomplete. Just code floating around for its missing part."

'Right' disappeared seemed as good a word as any to avoid about the glitching stuff. 'But the famous Save Screen is an important part of that AU, particularly for the Genocide Sans aka your mom, right?'

"Well, yes" after the encouraging nod the kid got from his soul's tenant, he kept going. "It's what marks it apart from other Genocide timeline AUs like Dusttale or Killertale"

Goth would just go with AU for every Sans variation out there and be done with it. All this theory on Alternate Timelines and Alternate Universes made his mind spin.

'So, this multiverse thingy caused people to go back to their AUs, kids an all.'

"Yes, Palette confirmed it last time when we met in Outertale. Which is curious, because now that you mention it, the place dad always described when talking about the first time he met my mother..."

'...isn't awfully similar to the place we met each other?'

And there was what Glitch had been thinking before, yet dreaded with a passion. Because if he was right...

If he was right, he didn't want to think about the implications it had.

"Let's not make assumptions" said Goth, hastily. "Every AU has a Save Screen for the Save File of the eighth fallen human."

'Yes" which, fair enough, was true. But on the other hand... "but your friend confirmed the kids were sent back to a place they had ingrained in their codes or to one of their parents' AUs.'

Alarmed, Goth got up from his bed and started pacing frantically from one corner of his room to the other before stopping suddenly. Turning around quickly to face the black boned skeleton, his face was full of alarm and disbelief.

"So, you're saying that place we met at was my mom's AU?!"

Glitch inhaled sharply. Yes, that was exactly it, but he didn't want to think too deeply about it. Trying to pacify the kid, he hide the fact that it was not a chance he was right, but almost a certainty. In other words, Glitch half-lied.

'I'm not saying that, but we have to consider it a possibility.' 

"We should go back to check it out then!" yelled the kid, smiling too wide and having a star shape in his only eye-light.

'Yes, we should. Maybe tell a Sci about what we are going to do before, too' it never hurt to have one of those Sanses' support and it could came in handy in the future. 

Maybe even help them get a solution for all this mess? Even if unlikely, if they were going to get into a glitching AU it was the logical next step. Unfortunately, asking a Sci would mean that they would get the Council's attention, which they didn't want. Especially considering Glitch was the God of Destruction, even if Goth didn't know about that. He just hoped this Multiverse thing hadn't erased the possibility. After all, the young reaper didn't exactly keep up to date with what was going on in the Multiverse, only knowing the basics because of Palette and even that was a stretch.

Even without taking that into consideration, there was yet another setback.

'Problem is, I can't use my powers so I can't get us back to that AU and asking for help to a Sans with the ability to do so would raise way too many questions.'

And hell would freeze before he even suggested going to Ink for help, no way.

"Oh, I think I have an idea. We could ask a Papyrus instead of a Sans so it wouldn't catch that much attention."

It was a good idea. The Council was called the Sanses Council, after all. But going to a Papyrus for help without getting their Sans involved would be almost impossible. They would have to have the approval of the Sans in question and then go around the Multiverse to where they needed with the Papyrus.

Still, Glitch knew how isolated the kid was, so-

'Kid, we can't use your father's Papyrus, we're trying to control the flow of information, remember?'

Goth nodded, still beaming as if Glitch hadn't said anything at all. It was disconcerting, in a sense.

"I'm not talking about uncle Paps" then Goth paused a moment to reevaluate his words. "Or, well, at least not that one."

'Huh?'

* * *

After saying good bye to the Bad Sanses, he changed his Blueberror 'skin' and went back to his original appearance. The transition always felt weird, his body not looking right in a state where it didn't know if its code should be stable or unstable anymore. He didn't like watching his bones with that ashy color, but the rest of the transition more than made up for it. His favorite part was the stars on his face, they were so cool!

He felt like a true Star Sans when he saw them. Ironic, because every time he had them he would be destroying, betraying that very same group and everything they stood for.

And he didn't regret it one bit.

But the fun time was over, and he needed to go back to his everyday life.

Blue sighed. He always dreaded this moment with all his being. The crunch of snow so familiar below his combat boots, the stale air full of pine tree smell and the mingling monsters just walking around and talking.

Back in Underswap once again just so he doesn't look suspicious after a criminal activity he would be hunted down for. Fun.

He had been away more than he had previously thought he would, too. The meeting with Nightmare and his gang was longer than he had expected. Yet, he found he didn't regret anything. Blue even made sure to check with all of them which AUs he should target next and explaining how everything would work out with him as the Destroyer.

He had hidden his extra phone in a hidden pocket inside of his armor in case everything went to hell and the AUs started collapsing. He hoped it would not come to that, but he was never meant for the role of God of Destruction and it showed in his limited abilities. It would help, but it wouldn't be enough on the long run unless he was in the Anti-Void where the error status would be at its strongest.

He had to remind himself to check on Palette in between somehow. He knew Nightmare wouldn't even think of going near the kid. The Guardian of Negativity didn't have anything against the kid but the positive aura Palette had would only harm him, so Blue took it onto himself.

It had its advantages, too! The kid was lonely and Blue being the one who usually took care of him when he was younger, he was a huge help to Blue in going around behind his parents' backs without even realizing. Which, if he thought too much about it, was all kinds of f*cked up, but he chalked it up to him being his usual magnificent self and let it there.

He already knew none of his friends were parent material. Well, except maybe Error seeing as he more or less raised Paperjam and Gradient. And maybe Nightmare, as well. Somehow, he could picture it.

No wonder he shipped those two together.

Blue heard a distant whisper, something about that goopy skeleton being called Nootmare as a joke. Wowie! Such a perfect nickname!Thanks, Voices, he would make sure to use it the first chance he got.

Yet, the fact he was hearing the Voices at all left a bad taste in Blue's mouth. The need for a destroyer was growing and if he wasn't careful, everything could spiral out of control very quickly. It didn't matter that Ink wasn't creating at the moment when the balance was already so tipped towards the creation side.

It was in part because of that that Blue decided to go to his AU instead of hanging out with Fresh or the gang. He would need as much freedom of movement as he could get later.

With a confidence he didn't really feel, Blue marched, already being able to see the little Snowdin town going on as usual.

A pair of bunny monsters giggled at the side, talking about how cute and innocent Blue, or rather Sans while he was in his home AU, was. He couldn't help but falter in his cheer a little, which hopefully wasn't noticed by anyone before he forced himself to correct it and keep up the charade.

Blue, he just... So much time outside of his AU made him forget just how things were back home sometimes, which wasn't a bad thing on his books. The whiplash of coming back was just too much sometimes.

Being a Star Sans was the perfect excuse to go away. He just had to say he was meeting with his mystery friends and Stretch, his Papyrus, would let him go if he got a Multiverse alert in his transdimensional phone.

Yet another way that jerk his little brother had become was controlling his life. That phone actually belonged to Blue himself!That manipulative little-!

But Blue was... Sans felt lost while he was in Underswap. He felt numb, like he was living someone else's life, even though logically he knew that was not the case.

In his musings, he did everything automatically. Dare he even think, scripted in a sense?

He went home, called for his brother who was snoring in the couch.Little surprise there. Then he went to greet the sentries and away to Hotland to train with Alphys. A half-hearted spar that became a cooking lesson. Made a taco. Went home. Brother still sleeping, just changed positions a bit. Looks like Stretch had gone to Muffet's. Left one of the tacos from the cooking lesson. He went to his room.

Tomorrow? Rise, repeat.

Blue stood emotionless in his room, barely conscious of closing his door. He stared at the familiar walls with unseeing eyes. Pastel blue eyes, a bed modeled after a boat, the jolly roger hanging on his wall just next to action figures that hide the doll of himself Error had given him on his birthday.

And yet, it didn't register on Blue's mind. The blues kept being replaced by endless white. The beloved boat by a comfy red bean bag. The action figures by human souls of different colors, even though red was still the most common one.

Determination.

Blue blinked, and the mirage was gone. Only his normal, if somewhat boring and extremely tidy room to meet him.

Everything was always so normal in Underswap. So... So...

SO UNCHANGING.

The routine, the speech, the tasks and mannerisms. Always the same. The same reactions every time he had to go away, the same reactions every time he came back to Underswap.

It was in those moments Blue felt bad for thinking like he did, but he could understand why the resets took such a toll on, say, Dust or Killer.

Blue wasn't a Bad Sans, even if his title as alternate Destroyer labelled him as one. He just-

He didn't see the monsters in his AU as real people anymore.

They felt fake, fabricated, scripted and never-changing.

He wanted to get away, he wanted to run away and never look back! He wanted something different, for time to go on like it was supposed to. He wanted Alphys to teach him something he didn't know already, to watch a new anime with Undyne. Hell, for those two to get married for once!

He wanted to talk to the monsters he met and for them to remember it, have new friends. Train with them, talk with them, play with them, argue with them. He wanted to get angry, to feel sad, to feel happy-

He wanted to feel s̸̮͠o̵̹͑m̷̗͗e̵̠̓t̵͇̒h̴̹̐ĭ̴̬n̶̘̒g̷̯̀ ̴̥͒ñ̶̝ẹ̷͒w̸̥͘.

He wanted to k̶i̴l̵l̷-

Blue shook his head violently, gloved hands trembling. Nope. Not going there. Ah ah, nuh uh.

'I control the LV, the LV doesn't control me. I control the LV, the LV doesn't control me. I control the LV, the LV doesn't control me' he kept repeating to himself, over and over like a mantra.

Blue always dreaded coming back to Underswap. Not just because his brother made him feel imprisoned in his own house. It wasn't just because of that, at least, even if it played a big role on the reason he always lingered in the Sanses Council, the Nightmare Manor or the Anti-Void. He just-

He felt so alone.

He felt bad for even thinking about it, but F̴U̴N̶K̷ ̵T̸H̷I̴S̷,̵ ̶B̷L̵U̷E̵ ̴I̴S̸V̸E̴R̴Y̶ ̴C̵L̷O̷S̸E̶ ̷T̸O̶ ̷J̶U̸S̸T̶ ̶U̸P̵ ̵A̶N̶D̷ ̷G̷O̵ ̸L̴I̴V̷E̵ ̷I̵N̵ ̸T̴H̴E̷ ̸A̵N̶T̵I̷-̷V̷O̷I̶D̴.̸

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally getting to the interesting parts!
> 
> Poor Blue, why do I torture the bean this way UwU.


	9. Introducing Uncles: Edge and Red!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goth decides to go visit his uncles in Underfell after a brief chat with Glitch. 
> 
> Then there's Red and Edge being wholesome in their own way, because I love them, the little sh*ts.

'Abomination 13's brother. You call both Abomination 13 and his brother uncles.'

Goth shrugged, sheepishly. Was he supposed to have said that in the first place? The glowering Glitch giving him the stink eye told him that probably yes, he should have, but how was he supposed to know? The other didn't ask! 

"Well, yes. I've known both of them since I was little" Goth twiddled his thumbs, still giving off that sheepish aura. Glitch felt the sudden urge to strangle his kid, before shoving that thought down. Picturing Ink instead as the victim, he smiled faintly, pleased with the mental image. "Apparently my mom's past version used to date uncle Red back when he was still considered an Sci Sans until there was some kind of incident where the AU split in two with Sci having his own timeline. So, jokingly, mom called them his new brothers in law. It stuck."

Glitch knew relationships were a complicated thing when the Multiverse was involved. All the timeline and AUs shenanigans not helping at all, just making a bigger mess. Still-

'That's pretty funked up.'

Goth nodded. The other had a point, seeing as that Sci was in a way his mom. Not like he ever saw that Sans ever since Geno's disappearance, the other tried to avoid him if it was possible. He was a bit hurt because of that, but he was secretly glad too. It would have been way too awkward otherwise, and he told Glitch as much.

"Maybe so, but it has been really convenient this far. I mean, it would have been really awkward because of my mom dating my dad in the future and both Sci and Red knowing it was a possibility for Sci if the timeline didn't split."

Just trying to process that sentence made Glitch's head spin. Only in the Multiverse, why couldn't he be oblivious to all the sh*t going on in it, it would make his life easier.

Still. Red was a prominent figure in the council, seeing as he's the original from one of the three main universes. It was true that there was only one true original, that one being Classic, but the core codes in Underswap and Underfell were very strong on their own right. They were considered the original trio for a reason, after all. 

But that brought the problem of the Council once again and how much Glitch didn't want them to find out about this thing going on with Goth. He knew how most of those blind judges acted and he was not happy. Glitch knew that a lot of them wouldn't dare to do anything to Goth, seeing as he was a kid. And not just a normal kid, either, but the son of the God of Death.

But he knew just as well that there were a lot of Sanses out for Glitch's blood because of the destruction he brought to the AUs as Error. Those judges in particular wouldn't hesitate to hurt the kid just for being associated with him, not to mention the detail of them being soul linked as that would make it even worse. It would be hell for the young reaper. Glitch refused to let that happen, he would make his best efforts in trying to avoid that scenario for as long as he could.

But even if Red, by some miracle, decided not to tell the Council, there was still another issue. Goth said the Underfell brothers were like his uncles. Considering that Goth didn't want to go to anyone in Reapertale with his problems, well-

'And you're sure they won't tell your dad because...?' Glitch had to ask, voice hesitant and wary even to his own ear canals.

"When I was little there was an..." Goth twiddled his thumbs again, searching for the correct word to use. "Incident. I didn't know I had a variant of my dad's powers back then, even if they are slower in action. We were on our way back from training just uncle Edge and me when we got ambushed."

And what a shock had that day been. Everything had been going great, too. Goth had been having so much fun with his uncles back then, mock fighting and messing around in the snow. Uncle Edge was really good with kids because of his goofy attitude, the one that only showed sometimes when he wasn't all edgy with the 'kill or be killed' rule that applied in his AU.

He remembered the ambush well. How he felt like he couldn't do anything, his perception of the untouchable Papyrus shattered forever. The other had fought well, but he was weak at the time and it showed. In the end, uncle Edge had to run away from the fight, desperate to get Goth himself to safety in his house. He had even managed to dust his attackers, debilitated as he was.

'I don't see the problem, kid' said Glitch, stopping his thoughts from spiraling. 'That skeleton is very capable and strong for a filthy edgy abomination. Almost makes me not want to kill him and everything he knows and loves.'

Glitch winked. Goth had to fight the urge to laugh, what an unexpected reaction. Usually his soul's tenant would just scoff at anyone else and say something either scathing, sarcastic, or both. This was new.

"Well, your genocidal tendencies aside' Goth couldn't help it in the long run and gave in, chuckling a little, 'it usually wouldn't be a problem, except for one tiny little itty bitty detail."

'Which was?'

Glitch's bone brow raised and he crossed his arms. Goth winced.

"I asked for a piggy back ride on our way back."

'... honestly kid, what the funk.'

Goth sighed. "I know, it was my fault. Uncle Red got really mad and attacked me so I would let go of uncle Edge. His LV made sure the intent to kill was there, too."

Poor uncle Red still apologized every now and then when he saw Goth. He had forgiven the other a long time ago, but the rough skeleton still insisted a bit. They had talked about it on numerous occasions and their bond was stronger as a result. 

It helped that Red had been working on his mental issues as well. PTSD and LV were nothing to laugh at, not to mention his monumental anxiety.

"My dad and the two of them haven't spoken since then" and Goth understood that, Reaper had saved him in the nick of time before his uncle dusted him after all. That relationship was never the same after that and with his mother gone, they distanced even more if that was possible. "They were my mom's surrogate brothers, not dad's, so that was that."

'Not your fault, kiddo. You couldn't have known.'

From what Glitch had gathered, the kid had been way too young. Magic was funky when it was underdeveloped, especially when it was strong. It didn't help that Goth didn't grow at the same rate as the other kids in the Multiverse, seeing as he was a godling. A hundred years could pass and the kid would have barely grown at all.

"But-"

'Your father, on the other hand, is a funking blind moron who should have known better, the radhole!'

Goth let out a startled laugh and the black boned skeleton smirked. He let himself a moment to enjoy what he just said before going back to business.

'But if it was the last you knew of them, why are you so sure they will help you now?'

"Uncle Red regretted it in the long run and I forgave him, so we've been hanging out from time to time."

Glitch's bone brow raised once more, a bit of disbelief lacing his words. 'And your father is okay with that?'

"What dad doesn't know won't make him worry."

'oh, kid. I like the way you think.'

* * *

[Warning: cussing. Cause it's Underfell, pals. What were you expecting, tbh.]

The wind in the place left a bad taste on Red's mouth, it smelled slightly like monster dust. Then again it always did in Underfell. There was always that undercurrent of danger and murder that made everyone be on edge, just enough to not get killed. The paranoia was at an all time high in the Fell AUs.

It had to be, else the dust someone would be disgusted at could be yours next. Red knew he was unlikely to be killed anytime soon because the codes counted on him being there when the human arrived, but still. Better not to test that theory too throughly or it could clue the human and that damn flower that something was up. It was bad enough that the Charas were aware of almost everything going on, he didn't need the headache it would bring for Underfell's Frisk (and by extension the flower) to find out as well.

Red grunted. Stupid humans, stupid Multiverse and stupid Council. Screw everyone, he hated coming back from the meetings with all their cleanliness and fresh air to this stale Underground filled with violence. He was not exactly a ray of sunshine either, but the metaphorical slap to his face (that felt more like a punch from a pissed off ashole in a bar fight) was too fucking annoying.

It always put him in a bad mood and today was no exception.

First thing he did when he arrived home was slam the door with rage. It helped, even if only a bit. This always came naturally. The aggression, the violence, the need for something wild in his very soul to be let out and not care about the carnage he would leave in his wake. He tried reining in those urges to the best of his abilities, but damn it all if it didn't feel good.

"I swear, those stupid assholes are just so dumb, ugh!" Red yelled with frustration, letting himself fall limply to the couch. As damaged as the thing was, it still was the best one they could get their hands on. Years of abuse on the ugly couch and misfired attacks caused a lot of rips in the once pristine material, but it was still as comfortable as ever. Somehow.

He heard a clang coming from the kitchen. It looked like his brother had been waiting for him to arrive and deal with his shit, as usual. Well, fuck you too, Paps.

Red felt a sudden weight on his lap and a light purring. Seems like the boss' cat decided his boney self was comfortable to sleep on. Fine, be Red's guest. At least he had an excuse now to not move an inch and stay in the couch. It also had the downside of trapping him for Papyrus' interrogation. The evil little thing had to have planed it.

Red huffed, getting more comfortable and trying to prepare himself for a conversation he would rather not have. Whatever. When did anything go his way? Never, that's when.

"Stop complaining, brother" and lo and behold, the younger of the skeleton brothers came from the kitchen, a suspicious amount of tomato sauce everywhere but on his torso where his apron must have been. The pink apron at that. He had to have hidden it, but Red would catch him with it. One day. "At least you are able to join those meeting and gather information about those unsightly alternate versions of yourself. It could come in handy in the future and you know that."

Gee, really feeling the love, you tall snarky-

"I hate it when you're right" he ended up huffing instead. "It makes me kinda angry, boss."

That and want to whack the taller with a bone attack. He would do it, but he knew Edge would retaliate and Red was feeling lazy. Besides, the cat was still in his lap and hadn't moved at all. That thing was evil, he was sure of it.

The cat kept purring.

"Then it is no wonder you are so grumpy and bitchy all the time, brother. For as someone as great as I is always right."

And Red's younger brother had the gall to pose dramatically while saying that, too. Tattered red scarf flowing on non existent air. The narcissism was strong in the tall skeleton and he knew that, but man, even if the boss was pretty cool this was going a bit too far. 

(It went too far years ago, but whatever).

"Whatever floats your boat, bro" his tone flat and his expression even flatter. He ran his fingers through the cat's fur. The cat turned a bit, exposing his belly for rubs. 

At least someone was enjoying this.

"I detect sarcasm in there, 'Red'" said Edge with obvious contempt and fake indignation. "And I do not appreciate it in the slightest."

"C'mon, not you too!" Red groaned. Was his brother serious right now? "Stop it with the damn nickname already, it's only necessary when Multiverse stuff is involved."

"Like it or not, it is now a usual thing for Multiverse travelers and over all ridiculousness to follow you back here, Sans."

At that, Red grunted. True enough. It didn't mean he had to be happy about it.

"No need to remind me, boss."

He never wanted to be the cause of increasing his brother's work load, but it was a necessary evil this time. Their AU was strong, and while that came with certain privileges they both acknowledged, it also had a downside. Namely, the huge number of attackers they got from time to time, given their AU's usual violence. Red was a huge target, too, being considered one of the big three of the Sanses Council, along with Classic and Blue.

Edge knew this. And he wasn't happy about it.

But it wasn't only attackers they got. They used to get visits from other skeletons a lot, like Geno and Reaper, Blue and Classic and Horror, or even Ink and Dream. Those timelines always became wonky and fucking headache inducing, glitching the universe and forcing a reset that affected everyone but the skeleton brothers.

Red was just happy his brother's code had been changed to the ones of an aware character thanks to Geno so long ago.

There was lull in their conversation, the shorter and trapped in the couch skeleton musing and reminiscing, cursing at the Multiverse shenanigans that only made their lives even more complicated. He missed sometimes when all he had to deal was a genocidal human kid and everyone not remembering.

Oh, and don't forget his anxiety, panic attacks and over all depression. His life sucked.

But forget genocide. When all those other alternative versions of himself appeared on Red's life and had wars and fights against each other, deleting universes left and right like it was nothing? That's where the real trauma started.

"So?" Real smooth, thought Red with sarcasm. He knew Edge was just biding his time, but that was just so lame. "What did you talk about?"

And wasn't that a loaded question? Red didn't really want to think about it, because it was so hard to... Well...

To realize they weren't the only ones trapped during those long three months in their AU after being comfortable in their knowledge they could go to another timeline or AU? One where they may be able to see the Surface? The sun?

Maybe they didn't do that before when it was a viable option before the Multiverse Reversion. So what, they were too violent and didn't really fit in the Surface with the rest of the humans, but that was their choice. They chose not to. Being able to and not wanting it is different that wanting and it being impossible.

But it wasn't just that. A lot of people they knew weren't there anymore or they were, but didn't remember anything from the Multiverse. There were a lot of Underfell copies of Red mourning their Sci's or their Papyrus resetting. The possibility of that happening to them was haunting. Edge could have forgotten everything. The Multiverse, the AUs, their improved relationship, the resets... Red couldn't go through that again.

It was too much.

"Are you sure you want to know? It was a bunch of stuff and I'm feeling kinda tired."

Try panicky and out of breath, but that had the same result in the end. His hands furrowed on the cat's fur to hide his shaking. Hell, he couldn't even focus enough to remember the damn cat's name.

And with _that_ look Edge was giving him, it was obvious his little act was not fooling his younger brother. Edge has always been way too observant and since the two of them got closer, too in tune with Red's emotions and well-being.

Fortunately for Red, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, knowing what to do with that knowledge was another thing entirely different for Edge.

"Brother, do not give me those lame excuses. We agreed for... Geno's sake" the little pause didn't go unnoticed by Red, but he didn't dare anything about it though "to try and be more civilized and that includes communication. And how do you expect to achieve that with other people if we can't even do it right between ourselves!"

The boss had a point, as he usually did. Red sighed. Great.

Stilling his phalanges for a moment and ignoring the claws of (Doomfanger, he thought relieved. The cat's name was Doomfanger) tearing and shredding his shorts, Red got his panic under control.

"Right, right. Sorry, boss. The one thing I have to thank Stretch for, being honest. He was a cool guy back then."

"That he was."

"Now he's just annoying as fuck" Red huffed, with feeling. Edge decided to let It slide, as he wouldn't admit it but he agreed wholeheartedly.

Stretch had been great, back when they had met him and introduced themselves to the craziness that was the Multiverse. At first, it was the Papyruses as well as the Sanses to interact. There were also less alternate universes, so maybe that had to do with it. But the skeleton brothers thing worked well. At least, until there was a mishap and everyone forgot about that fucking Christmas party, including the Underfell brothers themselves at first.

Edge would be lying if he didn't miss it, but at the same time he didn't want to be involved anymore with how things had been going. Letting Red go to face such things as Destroyers and Gods and Guardians was already hard enough without having seen the extent of the damage they could do when attacking or battling.

Edge hummed. "Although it was such a weird experience to remember that party, I do not regret it in the slightest."

"Pf, you only remember some parts of it" said Red jokingly, looking at the taller skeleton with a playfulness not usually there. Unless he was relaxed, that was, which was difficult enough with how anxious the older brother was.

"Well, yes. Mostly because Error's continued interference with the timeline made it glitch enough for us to regain that knowledge" even if they weren't sure it was because of that skeleton in particular, it seemed plausible. That was the theory they were going to use, at any rate. "That black boned skeleton you've told me about, if I remember correctly."

"Welp" Red shrugged. 

It was weird for him too to have as many interactions with Error and live to tell the tale. He usually saw the Destroyer at least twice a month and noticed remnants of his presence much more than that. He didn't have proof it was Error, but he also didn't have doubts. 

But thinking about it, the Destroyer hadn't bothered him ever since the Multiverse Reversion. Red kept surprising himself every time he reached out for his chocolate stash and found it untouched. He was used to overcompensate for the other's grabby hands and affinity to find his hiding places, so now what was he supposed to do with that much chocolate?

At least he didn't find random portals in his house, like that one time in the bathroom. That had been a scarring experience, even if that pink boa scarf did suit the glitch, strangely enough.

"As much as I fucking hate that he always steals my things, he let me remember Sci" Red blushed slightly, letting a huff of air and looking at the cat on his lap, smiling serenely before whispering "heh, seems fair."

Edge just rolled his eyes, looking annoyed but internally pleased with himself and the scientist that managed to get back that caring side of his brother.

"Yes, you and your lover boy" scoffed Edge, crossing his arms and letting his skull turn with a backwards tilt in a dramatic way.

"Oh, c'mon boss, that's a low blow."

"Whatever, I do not care" the tone of the comment was dry and barely a drawl, which made Red growl slightly. That was until the Papyrus furrowed his bone brows, realizing what Red had been doing all along and the fact that he lost control of the flow of the conversation. No way in hell was he letting the original topic go. "And stop changing the subject, Sans! Tell me about the Council you attended."

"Okay, okay, jeez" The other was insistent this time. Red didn't really want to have another small and shitty panic attack, so maybe he would just... gloss over the whole thing or something, no need to give all the boring and horrifying details. "Not much to tell, honestly. Almost everyone was there, the room was packed. No Ink or Blue, though."

"Hm, that is quite odd indeed."

Red nodded, because it was. Ever since those three became known as the Star Sanses, it was weird to see them alone when dealing with the Multiverse's bullshit. There was the unspoken fact of the three being considered the leaders of the rest of Sanses.

How Blue got roped into that role, though, Red had no fucking idea. But he was sure that at least he was more appropriate for the role that both God of Creation and Guardian of Positivity, which was... sad for them, but whatever.

"Yeah. At least we didn't have to deal with Ink's memory. I swear it gets worse every time, he's like a fucking goldfish."

Edge scoffed. How that disgrace of a skeleton monster was so highly regarded by everyone who knew the God of Creation would be forever a mystery to him.

"Such a shame. I know this alternate you that goes by Blue is a formidable foe, if my memory serves me well."

"Hell yeah, he is" Red shivered, little traumatic flashbacks of the Friend Club war assaulting his mind. "Still don't know if he's connected to Error and Fresh or not, as most of the relationships from back then were erased and forgotten by everyone."

"It wouldn't surprise me at all. Geno and Reaper got together in the end, even if they did not remember that chaotic Christmas party. We're not even humans, we're monsters! Why the hell were we celebrating that stupid holiday in the first place?!"

"Do I look like I know? I know we remember the party thing, boss, but we still only got some parts, not the whole thing!"

"Right, right" Edge inhaled deeply, trying to get his indignation under control. He let his breath come out slowly, the tension ebbing away with it. "In any case, have you gotten information about the AUs quarantine a while back ago?"

And this is where Red drew the line. He hesitated. Of course he fucking hesitated, this was his brother, who he was trying to be more open with about things. It didn't mean it was easy, even if their relationship was better than it had ever been in the past.

"Not much" Red grumbled. "Dream decided to put a fucking label on it though. Called it Multiverse Reversion or some shit."

"Why am I not surprised."

"Hey! Don't look at me with that face! It wasn't me who came up with the name!" it wasn't fair to put them all as hopeless cases just because they were all Sanses! Even if it probably was true! The deadpan Edge used only served to make Red even more defensive. "Besides, I found something weird."

"Oh? So now you have something to tell me, when I've been asking you to divulge the important details since you got back."

"It's not like that, boss. It's just..." Fuck it, Red was going to just spit it out. This had been bothering him all meeting, his bones rattling slightly which won him concerned and pitying looks in the Council. "Apparently, the Sci's were erased."

"What?" asked Edge, startled. "Wait, brother, what about-"

"The Sci we know was okay, surprisingly" he stopped the taller, shaking slightly and using the purring of Doomfanger to try and calm himself once more. The cat could be the most mangy one he had ever seen, but damn if the little shit didn't work wonders on his nerves and anxiety. "A bit shaken at suddenly being the only version of a Science Sans in the Multiverse, but otherwise no problems."

"I wonder if his connection to Geno's code has anything to do with his survival" Edge mused.

He had a point. The timeline was glitched, since Geno was no more. The time progression was there, but Sci would be forever trapped in his time zone, the timeline looping, because there was nothing else after a certain point in time.

Sci couldn't even access the usual Classic Sans timeline he was destined to, since the timeline started glitching when he neared the After Sans stage.

But about Geno's code influence...

"Probably" Red settled on. "Wasn't that same connection the one that let After remember the genocide route? That glitchy motherfucker was one tough son of a bitch."

At least Sci didn't have to deal with the human kid. Aftertale was known for their continuous genocide routes, after all.

"Indeed he was" but it was obvious Edge was feeling restless, he was fidgeting in place and shooting concerned looks at Red. "We'll have to keep an eye out on Sci, I have a bad feeling."

"Aww, is angry tall boss concerned?"

"I do not appreciate the mockery, Sans. It is only natural, after all, that I look out for my future brother in law."

Suffice to say, Red's face almost exploded with color, the red blush of his magic coloring his whole skull and part of his spine. Especially the cervical vertebrae, which camouflaged itself with the red sweater the Underfell Sans was wearing.

"BRO, WHAT THE HECK-"

A knock in the door cut off Red and both brothers tensed. It could be a tons of different situations they would encounter. From an enraged Undyne that was in the mood to boss Papyrus around, to a fool trying to gain power and reputation by killing the skeleton brothers... Or even a Multiverse dweller, and it was always hard to tell with them. 

Red and Edge looked at each other, analyzing the expressions and little movements they could notice on each other. Edge moved his skull slightly to the door and raised a bone brow, his gloves tightening with tension. Red nodded, message received.

Summoning a bone attack, the shorter of the two hide behind the door, a bit of sweat falling as his anxiety reared its ugly head. No use for that now. Getting in a better fighting stand in case it was an ambush or he needed to act quickly, Red gave his brother the go ahead to open the door.

Edge does so in a quick and swift movement, in case he needed the element of surprise. He was glaring and scowling, but that scowl was quickly replaced by surprise.

"Hi, uncle Edge. Is uncle Red home?"

That voice threw Red for a loop. He abandoned his hiding place, dispersing the magic of his bone attack. It was unusual for Goth to visit them out of nowhere in their AU. Shoving his hands on his coat's pockets, Red stood next to his brother, just as confused.

"Oh, hi!" chirped Goth.

"What brings you here, nephew? I was not aware you were going to visit."

Red nodded. "Yeah, kiddo. I didn't get the warning text telling me that you were going to drop by."

"Oh, that's because I didn't text you. I just..." it was clear the kid was hesitant, a sheepish and nervous expression that the Underfell brothers didn't trust one bit. It spelled trouble and / or mischief, which was even more unusual that the impromptu visit. "I'm in a bit of trouble and need a bit of help... Well, more like a ton. So please?"

The pleading tone did them in. After carefully checking no one had seen them, the Underfell brothers just look at each other and drag him inside, no questions asked. The slam of the door the only sign they were there in the first place.


	10. Two edgelords and the godly bean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Edge and Red have that quirky relationship that makes them get carried away, so that's unfortunate for Goth in this case. He wants to explain some things and get some help.
> 
> Also, Fresh gives a deadline. Oh well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the Underfell brothers have the spotlight for a chapter more, they deserve it. I feel like this relationship they have as Goth's uncles isn't used enough in the fanfics.

Goth didn't know he got himself in this situations. Not only was Glitch laughing himself silly at Goth's own suffering, but his uncles were only making it worse. It wasn't like they were doing something especially embarrassing either, since all Red and Edge did was loom over Goth's little frame.

Glitch still found it funny since he perceived them like angry kittens trying to be threatening, the kid being intimidated only upping the comedy factor for him.

The Underfell brother's were standing in front of the couch were they had unceremoniously dumped the young reaper. The young god felt uncomfortable at the stares he was receiving. There was confusion and mild disappointing in them and he didn't know how to deal with that. He just wanted some help.

The uncomfortable feeling carried over to Glitch, who's amused demeanor started to fade. Maybe he would just ignore the whole situation until it was over for both the kid and himself, spare both of them a bit with that act. So, that's what he did. The black boned skeleton ignored everyone around him in favor of looking around the skeleton's house from another perspective. He was so used to seeing this place in bits and pieces because of the portals from the Anti-Void that this felt different. Never had he seen the house all at once.

Or, had he...? Glitch couldn't remember.

The place was disappointing, yet not.It was trashed because of wear and yet, it was still as clean as possible. Glitch grinned when he was still able to spot the obvious(at least to him) spots where Red had hidden his things from view.Nice to know he hadn't lost his touch and some thing never changed.

There was a soft meow and, if Glitch didn't know any better, he would have thought that mangy cat that belonged to Abomination 13's brother was meowing at him. Surely not?What a weird cat.

"Can you, pray tell" started Edge, his tone slightly halting and tone as clear as possible, like he was being careful of both his pronunciation and tone. His bone brow was furrowed, his voice louder as he went on "explain to me why did you think it was a good idea to walk round Underfell, without letting us know you would come first, nephew?!"

Red nodded, agreeing with Edge. "Yeah, kid."

Red stared down at Goth, an air of inconformity around him. It was obvious he didn't approve of how Goth had approached the situation, although it looked like he would have to suck it up and deal with it. It wasn't for a particular reason other than people attacking Goth or Frisk finding out about him.

Usually, the kid was more careful than that. They had talked it over many times, and they had settled on the text message. It was dangerous not only because of the AU in itself, but on the human. Underfell Frisk wasn't aware of the Multiverse (and how such a thing was still like that, he didn't have a clue. But he was determined to keep it that way for as long as he could).

He may have been able to discredit other Multiverse dwellers on the past as just glitches because of the resets, but Goth didn't look like the usual attacker/allies that usually came and went. The young god looked like a kid, for starters, even if he wasn't. Besides, having to get rid of Goth just for appearance's sake or driving the kid away was just not an option for him. Just thinking about that scenario made something in his soul squirm uncomfortably, a heavy feeling not unlike the blue attacks when on a soul.

But what if it wasn't the pacifistFrisk? What if it was a genocide route and the human got it in their head they had to kill Goth as well? For a reaper, Goth was way too merciful. It could end badly for everyone involved on that mess rather quickly, especially if Goth came seeking help and only found the Underfell brother's dust. If that happened, Red would feel crushed when they inevitably got reset again.

He craved for a drink. His detoxed mind, and something that sounded suspiciously like Sci, told him that part of Red that wanted to self-destruct at every turn to shut the fuck up and deal with his shit already, damn him.

Red decided to try not thinking about it too much, but he felt justified when the scolding for Goth started. It was necessary in this case.

"Goth, that could have gotten messy real quick. I think it's time we talk about this again."

Goth groaned. Not this again. He already knew what the other wanted to say, they had done so multiple times in between sessions of guilt, apologies and stories about his mom. He knew why, Red still felt bad and responsible for Goth, but he was old enough to know what the heck he wanted to do. He was aware that he should have texted or something, but he was dealing with too many things to remember.

"Well, yes" answered Goth, doubting himself and what he wanted to say, but still determined to explain the situation and reach out for help. "But-"

"No buts, young godling" interrupted Edge, posture straight and a considering look in his eye-sockets. His aura was authoritative and powerful, maybe even a bit oppressive, no wonder the taller was the second in command in the Royal Guard. "I admit that this was an oversight on our part as well, not having put a system in case of emergencies."

Glitch overhead a bit and smirked. It seemed like Edge was just as observant as he remembered him to be. The Papyruses were notorious for their emotional intelligence rather than the cold, harsh and messy facts the Sanses used. At least they got the emergency part all figured out, even if they weren't paying attention to Goth.

The glitch growled slightly from the corner of the living room he had wandered off to. They better change that. 

Glitch shuddered for a moment, caught off guard. Did that funking cat just try to scratch him? He wasn't even tangible!

Theory confirmed, it seemed like the cat noticed Glitch. How even-

Edge better be thankful Glitch couldn't even touch anything like this, or the cat would be no more.

"Still, boss" said Red, ready to complain but planning on his mind at the same time just how they could go about setting up said system, one that could work like he was sure Edge wanted. "Kid, walking around alone in Underfell is just asking for trouble. The monsters here will attack you and it won't matter to them that you're a kid."

"I could take them!" protestedGoth. Which, fair enough.

"Still, kid. You're too nice to go all out so your point is moot."

Which was also true, even if not the main reason Red wanted Goth to avoid walking around. He fucking worried, okay?! He cared so fucking much about the young reaper that sometime he didn't even know how he would be able to cope if something happened to him. Unlikely, given he was a godling, and yet...

The Multiverse was a dangerous place, especially when being the kid of two Sanses. And that wasn't even mentioning a figure as well known as Reaper.

"Well, I mean-"

"I think my nephew here is even more careful than you are, brother" Edge remarked. "Which is why this behavior is unusual, to say the least."

"Right?" comment about his carelessness ignored, he kept insisting on the rarity of the current situation. " I mean, c'mon!"

"Maybe he is going through the phase all kids go when they get rebellious?"

"Guys-" Goth tried to intervene. His uncles were getting carried away and, if left to their own devices, who knew how long they could go back and forth with their usual antics.

"Ugh, I hope not. That's when the kids here get all rude and bossy."

"Guys-"

"Like you yourself are, you mean?" Edge pointed at Red's face, just to make an out of place heroic pose. "For I know I didn't go through such a phase."

"GUYS-" 

Goth was starting to get mad. Glitch snickered in the background, amused despite still figuring out a way to escape the menace known as Doomfanger the cat. 

"Ya sure, boss? I still remember that time when you went to the library and made a crude grafiti on the wall."

"Sans! I thought we agreed to never talk about that again!"

"Nah" Red drawled out, a shit eating grin on his face. "You just wanted to forget it ever happened and thought I agreed with you."

"Nonsense, bro-"

Goth had enough.

"CAN YOU JUST LISTEN TO ME FOR ONE SECOND?! I NEED YOUR HELP, OKAY?!"

'The funk-?!'

That had the desired effect of shutting up the Underfell brothers, even if the atmosphere was weirdly tense. They were looking at Goth confused, a bit startled because of the unusual outburst. This was concerning behavior, even more so than the going to their house unannounced.

"Wow."

"What is the matter, nephew?" Edge furrowed his bone brows, his mouth twisting. It was pretty obvious he was concerned, even more so when he started fretting with his hands. Goth almost felt bad, but at least they were paying attention to him now. "This behavior is rather disturbing coming from you."

"Yeah, kiddo. You okay?"

"I... I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. But what I have to tell you it's actually important this time."

Red tensed, eyelights sharp and magic ready to use at the tips of his phalanges. "Are you in trouble? Did someone mess with ya'?"

At the possibility, Edge scrunched his face even more, looking like he had bitten a lemon. "If so, feel free to tell us and such disgraceful beings shall never be found again."

Glitch snorted, approaching the trio of skeletons while shooting wary glances to the demonic pet. He settled next to Goth, just floating around. 'Man, I like how this guy thinks.'

'Not the time!'

The young reaper looked at his uncles, fidgeting in place. He was not helping his cause at all. "It's not like that..."

"Then what is it, kid?" Red grinned, with an 'eyyyyy' expression. Truly indescribable. "Spill the beans."

The Underfell Sans winked. Glitch had the urge to snort. Such a _Classic_ move.

"Oh my stars, Sans" Edge knew that face on his brother, he would be able to recognize the expression anywhere. Endless sessions of pun torture having taught him well to spot the signs to do an early retreat. Sadly, he couldn't exactly do that right now.

"What, no need to be so salt-y."

"Stop!" the taller demanded, tone almost desperate and stomping on the ground.

Red just snickered. Messing around with puns was so fun when he got this type of reaction from his usually grumpy looking brother.

"Uh..." Goth decided to start mostly gentle before the brothers got carried away again. They both looked expectantly at him. "Remember my Death powers?"

There was a tense silence, filled with apprehension and dread. This was a usual topic in the household of the Underfell brothers whenever Goth came around, so everyone here the conversation from this point onward wouldn't be exactly pleasant. Except Glitch, of course, but he also didn't give a funk.

Red fidgeted, uncomfortable, but ended up muttering in a soft voice everyone heard because of the silence. "Hard not to when it almost killed both you and my bro, kid."

Edge took the words and tried to analyze the situation. Goth would usually come to talk about that when he needed to vent (always gently if frustrated), but the kid used the word help specifically. Something was up, that much was obvious, and that something had to do with said powers. He frowned, his eyes slits, giving himself a dangerous and predatory look without really noticing. 

Why come for them if it was linked to that. Wouldn't Reaper be of better assistance? Unless there was a reason Goth didn't want to tell Reaper, even if that sounded preposterous to him.

"Well, my Death powers started manifesting a while back, you see-"

"Wait, hold on" Red interrupted, palm up and confusion on his face. "I thought your Death powers awakened when the ambush on you and my bro happened."

"Well, actually, no. Those were powers from my godhood awakening or something. I mean the ability to reap souls."

"Joy." Red deadpanned, a monotone voice.

"So you are even more impressive! A nephew worthy of the Great and Terrific Papyrus indeed!"

Goth laughed weakly. He had known this wouldn't fly well with his uncle Red, so that's why he had been avoiding saying anything about the topic in his visits. Perhaps he should have, if just to save himself the trouble now.

"Wait, hold on. I'm gonna need a bit more of an explanation. Cause if I'm right, you're telling us this because it has to do with why you came for help to us in the first place."

'No sheet, Sherlock.'

"Sure, yeah. My reaping powers are different from my godhood ones" the young reaper started explaining, the Underfell brothers paying rapt attention. "My godly status gives me the 'sickness and decay' effect, but my reaping powers are tied to the Death family, in both name and duty."

Red raised a bone brow. It was as if he wasn't sure how to feel about that, but glancing to the side to his brother, he found no answer. This would end up on the things he didn't have an opinion or else he would blow a fuse, then. Nice to know. "So, you're going to be running around the Multiverse getting the souls of the damned. Nice, I guess."

"It's okay, uncle Red. You don't have to like it, but someone has to do it."

That only got him a grunt in response, like 'what can you do. It be like that sometimes'.

"I think you will be a wonderful god, with feats that will eclipse even your father's!"

"Thank you, uncle Edge" he was grateful for the support, if nothing else. The taller always went on a tirade about violence and strength, but he was a Papyrus through and through. It showed, especially in these instances. It got Goth feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. "And look! I even got my own scythe!"

Goth summoned it with a flourish, the quick slash just barely a flash of silver before it stopped. The weapon was sharp, a double blade that made sure no souls would escape its deadly edge, which was a bright crimson. Monsters would interpret that as potent magic, akin to fire or something otherworldly, deserving of inspiration if wariness like determination. To humans, the sight would bring them fright, as they would probably interpret it like blood. It was fitting for a reaper, yet it was still remarkably Goth. 

With a classy handle and simple details, a finesse and apparent frailness that hided the strength of a God of Death. It was a bit small and thin, ideal for Goth's small but firm hands. A quick slash, just a breath, a moment missed. In between one beat and the next, everything would be over. But true to the fact that the wielder of such a weapon was still new and unexperienced, it barely had a scratch, almost brand new. Something worth admiring, terrific but charming on its own dangerous nature.

Like a disaster you couldn't stop looking at, gigantic waves that crashed against the rifts to take and take and take, to never return. Yet people kept chasing them, even if they knew the danger, even if it could mean the end.

Goth looked every bit and inch the god he was to become.

It made Red nervous. That slash had been way too close for comfort. "Woah, kid! Careful with where you swing that thing." His brother leaning towards it in interest didn't help his nerves at all.

Goth laughed awkwardly, unsummoning the weapon. That image, the ethereal feeling, disappeared with it. It was over so quick it was difficult to adjust to. This was just Goth again. Not one of the future reapers and God of Death, fated to become his father's helper and successor some day, but their nephew. Their dorky nephew who everyone on the Multiverse knew had a crush on the Palette kid while being really cute and awkward about it.

"Yeah, sorry..."

Edge dismissed the apology, scoffing exasperated with the politeness Goth always carried with him. "So the God of Death has started training you, I assume?"

Goth nodded, relieved the situation didn't escalate to... something. He actually wasn't sure of what. Looking discreetly at Glitch with a small frown, he found his tenant engrossed with trying to trick the cat away from his ghostly self. Doomfanger wasn't going away, he was one determined little animal, a reflection of his owners in a weird twisted sense. 

He had the urge to snort, but how would he even explain that? 

'I can sense your thoughts, genius!'

'Oh, thanks! I know I'm intelligent.'

'That was sarcasm.'

'I know, I did say I'm intelligent.'

Yeah, Goth couldn't help himself in the end. He tried to hide his expression from his uncles and laugh sheepishly under his breath. Red was giving him the stink eye, which only made it funnier.

"Is that why you need our help? The old man giving you trouble?"

Calming himself with one hand resting on his chest to regulate his breathing, Goth got into a serious mindset again. "Well, not exactly. I mean, it doesn't have anything to do with dad, technically" and man couldn't a teenager like himself get away with a lot of stuff with technicalities. "Could you not tell anyone what I'm about to tell you?"

Calling forth his magic and taking advantage of his childish body and features, the young reaper used the ultimate weapon. 

Puppy eyes. Or eyelight, in this case.

'Oh stars, you can do that too' Glitch grumbled. He put some distance between him and his host, a bit weirded out. 'Not another Blue.'

Goth sniffed, as if it wasn't convincing enough without that detail. Red quickly caved in.

"Okay, okay. What are you so worried about anyways, kiddo?"

After all that conversation, they finally go to the point he was just _dying_ to share. "Well, you know the Multiverse thing when no one could exit their AU?"

Red wanted to swear a bit. He knew his nephew was a bit clueless, but Red was part of the Sanses Council. And even if he wasn't, he was used to coming and going, much like the kid himself, of course he would notice. Who, of the awares of the Multiverse, wouldn't?

Especially when it had such disastrous effects.

"You mean the Multiverse Reversion?" he mumbled, closing his eyes. What a day to be a Sans, Red just wanted to take a nap. He had just gotten out of explaining this stuff to his brother in detail, what a pain.

'Huh, so that's what the Council called it' Glitch muttered, testing out the name. 'I mean, it could have been worse.'

"I guess?" Goth got a nod from Red, encouraging him to continue with what he needed to say. "Well, I tried to reap someone from where I was stuck in. It was my first time doing it alone and-"

"Wait a moment" there was some clarification needed because there was something not adding up on the Underfell Sans' mind. "Weren't you in Reapertale with your dad? Why would you be alone to reap a soul."

As far as he knew and had been discussed, the kids that didn't exactly belong to an AU just ended up on one of their parents'. 

"Because I wasn't in Reapertale. I think I was in my mom's AU?"

That... actually made sense. Ouch. "I see..."

"So, long story short, there was a glitching skeleton there that I didn't know, not my mother for sure but-" Goth shrugged carelessly. 

It didn't bother him, as he wasn't expecting to suddenly find the parent he had been missing for as long as he could remember, disregarding some flashes from when he was just a babybones, and images his dad kept around everywhere. With so many pictures, he was confident he would be able to recognize his own mother. 

"So I tried to reap them and..." this was the tricky part, since he, well- "failed."

"What?!"

Yes, that was the reaction he was expecting from his uncle Red. He got it almost right, pictured on his mind. He missed the shaking eyelights and red face, but the outrage and hidden worry behind a vicious snarl? That was exactly the same. Nailed it.

Edge just seemed startled, especially with his usually quiet and grumpy older brother's rather effusive reaction.

"I fail to see the problem, although that may come from my incomprehension of your nature. What happens when you fail a reaping?"

"Boss" Red turned, looking up at Edge with a hint of hysterical energy that needed an outlet pronto. There would be a rather unfortunate tree that would be blasted to shreds in the near future. "Remember the stories Reaper told us about his Chara way back? The one that goes by Chaos?"

"But of course, brother. You know I have an excellent memory!"

"Well, that's what happens when the reaping doesn't work."

"Oh."

Oh indeed. 

"Kid, this is serious. If this is anything like the Chaos situation, it could get ugly quickly."

"And if that was the case, uncle Red, I would have told dad immediately. But it's not, it's..." how to put it in words, Goth wasn't sure. 

Glitch wouldn't go kill any gods anytime soon, especially not one of Reapertale since it wasn't even the other's universe, and he doubted he could do much about any attacker at all considering his current status. He was pretty sure this wasn't how failed reapings worked but, hey, he got a... friend? Out of it, so he wasn't complaining. 

Actually, Glitch didn't feel like a friend at all even after all that time they had been together. More like that uncle you only see sometimes a year but you genuinely enjoy the company of, even if it stresses you out. 

So, yeah, "weird."

"Weird _how_?"

"Our souls linked, probably because both of us have the glitch status. It's a weird connection and now he's practically following me around as a ghost wherever I go."

Red stared at the kid, not comprehending what he just heard. Even Edge let out a little 'nyeh?' full of confusion, and he tended to avoid using that expression since it decreased his intimidating aura to almost zero. When the meaning of the words actually hit him, his eye-sockets widened.

Red roared with laughter. "Oh my god, that's fucking _hilarious_!"

'Don't cuss in front of the kid, abomination 13!' Glitch barked out, annoyed. Even if he knew the other wouldn't heard him, he didn't care.

"Brother, could you take this seriously?"

"But Paps! A God of Death, being haunted!" 

Edge sighed. How was this immature skeleton cackling over some silly concept apparently amusing to him his older brother? He patted himself on the back mentally, as he congratulated himself on at least being the older brother mentally. Somewhat.

"Ignore my brother. He is hopeless as usual. But why haven't you tried to go in different directions?"

"We tried that back when we were still trapped in the AU. But it hurt trying to put distance between us, like there was a pull, our souls straining against some invisible force. After a particularly painful attempt, we stopped trying."

And it hadn't been pleasant. They got along now, sure, but at first he remembered all Glitch ever said at him were things like 'abomination' and 'glitch'. Goth's sassy responses only gained him an 'and this is why your mother doesn't funking love you'. Which, rude, how would he know if they never met.

Compared to now, they sure came a long way. He felt fond of his companion, and Glitch cared no matter how much he said he didn't, the tsundere. The death threats stopped being aimed at Goth himself, but to anything or anyone that even barely upset him, after all.

That was without taking into account Goth freaking out about the glitch tied to his soul and trying to flee his problems. Seemed like that was impossible. Running away from his problems only made the ache and eventual snap on Goth's soul hurt all the more. But hey, a week in and boredom made sure they bonded.

"I see. I'm sorry" Edge turned to his still laughing brother and whacked him on the head. Hard. "And you stop laughing, idiot! This is serious!"

"Sure thing Boss" the snickers that still fell from his mouth betrayed him, but he was so used to doing whatever he wanted that he didn't care. Edge groaned, glaring lightly at him but smiling. Red just shrugged in response and looked amusedly at Goth. His mirth was slowly fading as he went back to a serious considering look. "It looks like you've gotten into a fucking mess, not gonna lie." The long pause made Goth squirm on place uncomfortable. Fair enough, it was the truth after all. "But I fail to see how we could help you."

"Well, me and Glitch talked-" 

"Glitch, huh? Never heard that one before, not very original" Red interrupted once again, his eyelights sharpening dangerously before his gaze softened once more when settled on his nephew. "Then again, not many names in the Multiverse are, I guess."

"As I was saying..." Goth continued. Edge hit Red on the head again for interrupting the kid. "Me and Glitch talked about it and we think it would be a good idea to contact Sci for help with this."

"Oh, it makes sense now. Right, lover boy?" Edge wiggled his bone brows, looking down at his brother. 

'Even I know they're heads over heels for each other.'

Red tensed. "I mean, uh-"

"I just thought Uncle Red could convince his darling Sci to help me with this."

"Yes, his little darling."

The two little shits were banging up on him, weren't they? F.

"I swear, you two are evil."

'For once, I agree with you, #13' Glitch nodded, grinning maniacally. 'I like it.' 

Goth preened under the praise.

"Sure, kid, if you think that will help. But you could have just texted me and I would have picked you up to go there."

"Aw, but I wanted to visit uncle Edge!"

"I appreciate it, young god" Edge posed, the scarf waving through nonexistent air. They were indoors, what the fuck- Then again, the Papyruses always seemed to have that ability to literally break the laws of physics. And they didn't even notice anything weird going on.

"Besides" Goth added absentmindedly, as if it wasn't really all that important. The dark and wide smile that marred his features for just a second made a shiver go down Red's back. "Uncle Edge would make you accept what I asked for and shut up, so that was a plus in case you decided to be a tattle tale and tell someone else about this."

"Oh, c'mon, stop this little act you're putting on already, you two!"

Both Red's little brother and nephew just looked at him, staring. Red was sweating uncomfortably. He knew he had no other choice but to give in, even if the possibility of taking a shortcut somewhere else was very tempting. Especially if that place had Sci smiling fondly at him again. Not realistic, since Sci's AU couldn't be accessed by a shortcut unlike in the past, but a skeleton could dream.

It was futile to keep resisting.

"Okay, kid, sure. Come this way. Sci's AU is wonky and we need the machine in the basement for access, I'm not chancing another accident on top of this one."

"Okay. Let's go, uncle Edge."

"Sure thing, nephew."

"Oh hell no. You stay here, boss."

Edge scoffed, crossing his arms and glaring down at the Underfell Sans. Unbelievable! He had thought they had gotten over this. He wasn't a babybones and his older brother could suck it up. Edge was a royal guard! The second in command! He didn't need to be babied, for fuck's sake.

"Not this overprotective bullshit again, Sans. Don't make me punch you and risk another gold tooth on your face."

The ambient was tense for a few moments, both brother not willing to back off. Goth wished they would just get over their egos and go.

Glitch just wanted popcorn. Or chocolate, that worked too.

"Ugh, fine! Let's just fucking go!"

Goth pated Edge's arm in consolation when he saw the taller's frown and overall 'hurt but too tough to show it' demeanor. "Don't be sad, uncle Edge. I'm sure he just didn't want you to come so you wouldn't tease him in front of Sci."

"Well, bad thing for him then, because now I plan to do double the teasing for that stunt."

"Oh my- LET'S JUST GO BEFORE I REGRET IT EVEN MORE!"

"But we're not even there yet!"

"EXACTLY!"

* * *

Fresh let himself drift off in the whiteness of the Anti-Void, just hanging there with his body entangled on the decaying blue strings that belonged to Error. They were the last remnants he could sense of the other's magic, even if it was fading by the second. It gave him a bit of comfort.

The nothingness on this place was almost unbearable, even more so if you knew what lurked behind that fake trap. It was alluring, damning, madness inducing... but this was no empty space. The Anti-Void was the place where nothing and everything existed all at once, after all. And that wasn't even acknowledging the unrad voices looming from somewhere where a person would never be able to glimpse. For Fresh, there was always a weird buffer, an intangible barrier that prevented him from hearing them.

With all the stories Blue had shared about them, he wasn't sure how to feel about that. There were the mean voices, those of 'haters'. Or, at least that's what the glitch had dubbed them as. Then, there were the 'creators' and 'spectators' or 'viewers'. They sometimes shared information that would prove impossible to get any other way, after all.

He could do with a bit of help right now.

And he did mean Blue. The Underswap Sans was an error, a glitch, almost as much as Error himself. But he was talkative and chatty. Besides, Error avoided talking to Fresh in general, and that applied even more when it came to things related to this Anti-Void the black boned skeleton called home or his glitchy status.

The voices were chaotic, asked uncomfortable questions and tried to make stuff from thin air. Which was probably why Error hated them so much.

It was natural for him to despise them, since they gave him even more work when they inevitably wanted to leave their stuff aside, change things, mess up with the characters or got bored, abandoning the project without finishing it. Changing things was almost as bad, since they created another AU without noticing. The neglect on the first, the scrapped old original, made it a high priority on the destruction list, since the people there had higher chances of glitching or falling into the Void, forever to be shattered across space and time. Being the Destroyer sure sounded like a tough job.

Fresh sagged on the hammock he had managed to arrange. Lol, at least it wasn't him. Even if he did infect AUs so he could feed the parasite on his eye and survive yet another day as himself, be it in another body or not. Technically, the process of what had become known as the Fresh Virus wasn't all that different from making a copy of his own made up world of Underfresh. Who cared if some forgotten copies out there were twisted and sacrificed for his own survival? He sure didn't, yolo.

Still, this new dynamic on the Multiverse was becoming boring quickly. Ink was only deities knew where and he missed messing around with Error. 

There was an uncomfortable feeling on his chest every time he swelled too much on the matter, but Fresh couldn't help but feel like something was missing when he was too much time away from the glitch. Weird.

His thoughts kept wandering, convoluting themselves more and more. There was a soft snap that he ignores, but it was came from the strings snapping and disappearing around him. Falling into the white floor, face planting, Fresh was annoyed. Grumbling something along the lines of 'unrad, that was so funky, brah', he looked up to see what the funk happened now.

The sight before him only left him feeling even more hopeless. The strings were still decaying, but the ones around the drained souls were more damaged this time around. Getting up, Fresh tried to estimate how long they had left before the magic infused on the strings left would fade. The answer he got only made things worse. He just wanted to take a nap or maybe party away until the end came.

Two weeks.

What would happen to Error by that time if they hadn't found him, Fresh didn't know, but he would bet nothing exactly good. Would the other die for real if they didn't find him? Was he getting erased? Twisted and molded to fulfill a new role, something different, another kind of Sans?

Fresh sighed, his sunglasses dull, gray and lifeless. It was probably better for him if he went away, get some _fresh_ air and organize his thoughts. With a fresh poof, he went to explore and wander the Multiverse, the need for time away from the Anti-Void at odds with his want to keep a look out in case Error did come back.

Maybe Fresh just needed a change of host again. For some reason he couldn't understand, he had been getting less emotional feedback since the incident than he was used to.

Once the Anti-Void was free of people and unknown to the one who had just departed, the white of the Anti-Void darkened slightly to a more bearable light gray. The shining outline of three androgynous figures could be seen.

Fate, Destiny and Choice.

* * *

Ink wasn't sure anymore if he had checked this AU already or if he had been going on circles. He also... didn't care much about that at all. He was filled with numbness, a distant echo of the usual fierceness his paints gave him as feedback. Looking down at the sash he had on, the reason was more than obvious. 

He had just some drops of colors, not enough to mix and create the feedback between his mind and paints. Just hints of red, orange and cyan left. With shaking hands, he knew this feeling, if it could be named as such, was just the first stage of him regressing to an emotionless being once more.

Those drops and hints of color wouldn't last enough for a refill, even if he knew where the spare sash with his processed paints were. Which he didn't, but he wasn't about to go drink the colors pure again, since the drawbacks were too much. Not if he had another option. Maybe he just forgot where that sash was? Or maybe Blue misplaced it when he cleaned the Star Sanses' base the other day.

He heard a distant echo, a summon. Someone was calling him, going through the trouble of calling out to him in these trying times. He grumbled, mildly annoyed. No way he was going to this new place when he had other things to take care of, like keep searching for Error. 

He wouldn't be able to enjoy a new scenario on his current state, anyways.

Error was more important for him. He would find the Destroyer no matter what. This other person calling him could wait. They weren't a Sans, so the possibilities of something actually concerning decreased exponentially.

Ink could feel the Void energy on this person, though. That was a curious thing indeed, but the possibility of it being Core didn't exactly evoke any feelings. Screw the Omega Timeline, the AUs of those characters were already doomed, gone, poof forever. The worlds were erased, so Ink didn't care one iota.

But Error, without an AU, was different. He had always been different to Ink.

Shaking his head in a futile attempt to ignore the summon, he kept wandering aimlessly through the AU he was in. He didn't know where he was going, but he also didn't know where the black boned skeleton was, so maybe it would all work out.

'Error... Where are you?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there, hope you liked it! I wanted to upload this before, but stuff happened.
> 
> I don't know when I'll be able to post the next chapter due to my finals coming up. But don't worry, this story will continue once that's over ^^. If I don't get to upload anything until January, have a nice winter break and New Year. 2021 is almost here!


	11. Sci's not paid enough to deal with this (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three guardian deities - Fate, Destiny and Choice - have a meeting regarding the actual situation of the Multiverse.
> 
> Also, the Underfell brothers, Glitch and Goth finally arrive to Sci's house.
> 
> Or
> 
> Choice wishes they were an only child and some teasing is done.

The sound of static was a constant in the background as three figures looked at each other with impassive eyes. They were stoic, burning with an inner purpose unknown to everyone but them.

The three guardian deities of the Multiverse. Fate, Destiny and Choice.

Fate, the arrogant leader with anger issues, but who makes sure all the stories are in working order. The one who makes sure everything has an end, no matter to them which one it is. There was no escaping Fate once you were on stringed up on their carefully managed network. Their pure shining white figure imposed respect and demanded worship. They would have the final say on everything at the end, for that was their nature.

Destiny, the middle child. They were the one to make sure everyone had a purpose. Relationships and bonds, family. Everyone was connected in a sense and while the red strings were of Fate, Destiny was the one to manage them. They gave people a goal, a purpose to strive towards. Their glittering gray figure that shone like silver were gentle, yet their black eyes betrayed their determination and drive. They were cold yet careful, strong yet childish.

Choice, the youngest. They were what made sure the Multiverse wasn't stagnant, but in constant change and development. People evolved thanks to them and made everything more complex, interesting. They made living an adventure instead of a chore, even if it could prove to be fatal. The wrong decision would lead to a person's end, but Choice was not to blame. They only offered options, after all. Only oneself could be blamed for their own spiraling decisions. The usually overlooked sibling out of the three deities ruling over the Multiverse, the literal black sheep of the family with their white and empty eyes over black smooth skin that shone like obsidian.

The three of them were on the emptyAnti-Void, their presences too strong for mortals to be able to comprehend. No one shall know of their roles or the balance, the one they had carefully created, might just crumble.

"The wheel of Fate is turning again"the white deity said.

Their tone was as smug as always, the upturned eyes and smirk just bringing that factor out even more. They were looking at Destiny with superiority and disdain.

Destiny had the urge to slap their sibling's face and maybe try to battle it out, bring down Fate a few pegs. Everyone knows the eldest desperately needed a vibe check.Maybe that would teach the other, although Destiny doubted it. The cockiness the white deity exuded wouldn't be quelled by such things.It was pointless to even try, so bearing with them would have to work.

That didn't mean the gray sibling was happy with that. It would be troublesome, but hitting Fate might just be worth it. The satisfaction the thought alone provoked in them way too tempting.

Choice looked warily at Destiny. Fate was the one with the temper, but then again... It had been Error the one messed with, Destiny's chosen, the one they loved as their own child. Too much animosity between the other two for Choice not to double check everything would go more or less well on this meeting.They were the one to had called it, the reason the three were in theAnti-Void and not their own realm after all.

And it needed to be empty, too. TheErrors could probably see them, something that had to be avoided at all costs. And then there was the special case that couldn't be risked either. The parasite Fresh.

Choice was musing, wondering how to best bring the topics that needed to be addressed as soon as possible.The little fight the older two were in didn't make thinking any easier.

Ignoring the youngest, Fate ket up their bravado towards Destiny, who was seething on anger. "It's just a matter of time before things start falling into place."

"Don't forget that there is still time."

"That's true" agreed Choice. It was an easy answer that had the potential to calm the ambient, as Error had been good at his job and there were no AUs on danger of collapse.They loathed to admit it, as the glitch could be considered family on a sense and what happened to the skeleton was unfair, but Fate had chosen a good Destroyer for the main balance. "Right now, we're at an impasse."

An impasse of sorts, though. It was true Ink hadn't been creating AUs since he noticed Error missing, but the whole point of Error's existence as a Destroyer had been caused by the tipping balance. It was still leaning towards the Creation side, something that couldn't be allowed for long, even if the amount was considerably less worrying.

"Not for much longer and you know that. That's why we're here" Fate snarled, pointing their finger towards the youngest. The three were aware this inaction couldn't be kept, they needed to act as soon as possible before the Multiverse went up in flames. They hadn't caused what Fate's chosen's friend and mate, Dream, had labeled as the Multiverse Reversion. That was a direct repercussion of the abuse the codes had suffered, having to adapt to such sudden changes of management. The prolonged effect, on the other hand, had been their failed attempt at damage control. "We're running out of time to act. You out of all of us, should know this. Isn't that right, Choice?"

Destiny glared at the white figure."Fate, stop it."

"No, I want to hear what they have to say to defend themselves."

"We always make choices" even voice and calming gestures, it seemed to work on Destiny and just make Fate even madder. Gosh, did their sibling have anger issues."Even the act of avoiding the problem and inaction is still a choice."

"You know what I mean" Fate hissed through gritted teeth.

The black deity chose not to comment.They were always overlooked and they had everything to loose if they decided to stand up for themselves against the oldest of the three.As the youngest, their hold on the Multiverse, their very own Voice, was less than those of Fate and Destiny. Even if they were just as powerful as the other two.

Sadly, being the deity with less holdover Multiverse affairs also meant more responsibilities, which also meant less time to strike back at their siblings. Choice was strong and disciplined enough to rule alone and everyone knew that, but that point was moot on these encounters.

It was always better to leave Fate andDestiny to fight each other than to intercept. Why couldn't Choice have their very own Multiverse? Sharing this one only cause fights between the three Guardian Deities.

"Why are you always like this.It's like you're asking to be hated."

"I do not care for the Voices' approval" Fate hissed. "I have a role to play and I shall do so. After all, there is no cost too great."

"Mimimi" Destiny mocked, childish. And people wondered why Error acted like a man child most of the time. Like parent, like chosen.

"Why you-"

"To be fair, Fate does have a point" Choice butted in. Yes, they wanted Destiny and Fate to battle it out on their own, but their yappering voices were just too annoying. They needed to reach a decision before they were interrupted. "We all have a role to play. Right now, though, there is a temporal status quo."

That shut Destiny up quickly and causedFate to stop, consideringly analyzing the situation. The silence brought the somber and serious mood back, thankfully.

"Right. With Ink not creating and all, looking for the Destroyer."

"You know it can't stay like that."

"Well, yes. But the question here is..." Choice hesitated on the next bit. No matter which one they chose, it would probably rise animosity between the trio once more. How bothersome. "Do we act in relation to Ink or Error?"

"We don't know where the Destroyer ended up, Choice. He disappeared from our radar when our Multiverse glitched."

"Well, that wouldn't have happened if SOMEONE didn't not only allow Ink his free rein over creation, but also helped."

"Never mind that" Choice cut in once more. Sometimes, they felt like the oldest of the trio, having to always break up the fights. "What is done is done. We need to settle on a course of action."

"You're the deity of Choice, not us. Why call the meeting?"

Yes, do that. Let Choice do all the hard work, why not? Because obviously, fanning yourself while screaming at the people on their Multiverse and laughing at stuff going on was that much important than making sure said Multiverse kept itself healthy and running.

Choice wished they could have been a single child.

"Because we need to fix this situation. I'm not like you two, I do not interfere directly. I can only offer options and let the inhabitants of this Multiverse to lean to one of your sides if they choose so themselves" curse their lesser hold on the inhabitants of the place they were supposed to watch over. Most of them were morons like Fate and Destiny, anyways.

It was still troublesome.

"But there's still time left. I'm sure the Destroyer will show up eventually."

Destiny looked at Fate with crossed arms and a skeptical look. "You only say that so we will leave Ink alone."

"Even so, this needs to be fixed.Even if the end of the Multiverse is not imminent due to this incident, Error's whole situation became what it is due to the imbalance between creation and destruction. He's vital."

"But nothing is set into stone. I, as the deity of Destiny, can still try to pull some strings to try and save this place."

Fate nodded. "I will have the final say in things in the end, but just do as you must. After all,Fate is inevitable."

"Don't get overconfident. We are all equal in power. There are numerous paths in Destiny and, only when made the Choice, the Fate is set into stone."

"So? I just need to wait a bit more. The situation on our hands is half way there, I can feel it."

"Fate..." Destiny warned. The glare and resentment the gray deity held was obvious and it made Fate squirm, something ugly and uncomfortable writhing inside them.

The oldest scoffed, avoiding their sibling's eery eyes. "I will wait for now. I don't want to rush anything."

"Wise decision."

"Well, yes. Last time we rushed things, Error was created as a suffering being."

"That's the fault of your anger issues."

"Shut up, Destiny."

* * *

The trip on the machine hadn't been exactly pleasant, but it had been necessary on this case. Goth was just glad that the method to travel between AUs had advanced to a point where the machine wasn't used anymore. It had been cramped with the three of them in there, and he didn't even want to wonder how it would have felt if Glitch had a physical body.

Besides, the black boned skeleton looked uncomfortable just at the thought of being in direct physical contact with another, even in his ghostly body. The young godling would have feared for the safety of the Underfell monsters if Glitch could actually cause them harm in exchange of some space.

He wouldn't even blame him, being honest. Wincing, he rubbed a particularly sore spot, most likely caused by Edge's knee cap. Not only was he tall, the Papyrus had long legs that squished him and Red against the inner walls of the machine. There was no helping it, but it had been painful.

“We're here.”

Goth looked at Red, seeing how nervous he looked. He had left some steps of distance between the front door and himself, as if afraid to get near it.

He couldn't blame him, for he felt the same. It wasn't for the same reasons by far, but the feeling was there. The inconspicuous house loomed before them, a seemingly enormous effort.

It wasn't even that special, but it raised wariness in the young skeleton. It was a two story house, the typical for the skeleton brother's on most AUs. It looked newer and cleaner, almost no mail and all bills paid. Even the snow puffs on each side of the door seemed taken care of, and Goth didn't even remember seeing those before in any timeline.

The house was, over all, in a better state, even if it didn't differ too much on all the countless versions of it he had seen on the past. It was definitely an improvement from Underfell, where everything was ripped or broken because of the constant fights and battles.

Goth was also aware he was stalling and trying to not think about Sci himself by focusing on the house, but he had his (manías).

Edge hummed appreciatively next to him, his hand holding his chin in a thinking pose. At least it wasn't just Goth stalling.

“It looks cleaner than I expected from an alternate version of my brother, given the fact that they're not a swap.”

“Bro, what the fuck.”

Goth laughed awkwardly. That could be taken as a jab against himself too, since his code was mostly the one of a Sans. Not only him, but his father and some of his friends, like Palette and Cray. “There are lots of different AU Sanses, uncle Edge “he tried to explain, looking up at the Papyrus who seemed hesitant to knock the door.

No wonder, since it was similar to the place they had just left. It was in that moment that Goth wondered why the Papyrus didn't travel between AUs as much as the Sanses did, even if they were aware of the Multiverse. Maybe it was because of the complexity of it all or that disorientating feeling you get, the déjà vu.

But seeing Edge now, Goth thinks he had a possible answer. Unlike Red, who had grown numb to all these small changes on your very own life that create another person completely different, Edge was new to this concept. It had to be jarring to see what could have been, if only the world was a little nicer or a bit darker. It wasn't a normal occurrence to see other versions of yourself, no matter how much of a routine it had become for all Sanses across the Multiverse.

Goth once came across a Fell version of himself. So similar, yet so intrinsically different... The young god could understand where Edge's hesitance was coming from.

Looking at the house one more time with another point of view, he could point most of the similarities that could leave Edge feeling off kiter. It wasn't even that difficult. Sci's house was very similar to the one in Underfell, but noticeably less aggressive, less torn apart at the seams. The ambient was peaceful and the monsters greeted each other on the streets instead of trying to stab someone. Here, it wasn't kill or be killed. You could go outside and just stand wherever without fear of becoming easy EXP, a step on another monster's ever growing LV. No pretenses, no need to act tough.

Even the stale air of the Underground seemed cleaner.

So similar yet so different, the juxtaposition of both places had to have left Edge's mind on high alert. But even so, maybe it wasn't that. Goth was a monster born from two AUs, so he didn't have any experience with the phenomenon, but he had heard stories. Most Multiverse travelers had the same problem at first.

The what ifs.

Living this way, where some inhabitants were aware of Alternate Universes could be fun and all, but the what ifs not something everyone could handle. What if they had a loving home, friends and family? What if they kept going, didn't give up, just a tad longer?

Happy endings? Genocide?

With a deep inhale of air, Edge's face softened as he looked gratefully down at Goth. “Yes, I am aware not every Sans out there is like the one I'm used to. Still... “dispelling the somber atmosphere that had settled on their little group, his tone had a playful tilt as he leered at Red. “At least there's some mercy on this wretched Multiverse. Imagine the horror of lazybones slobs just like my brother being the ones in charge of everything.”

Red gasped, an over-exaggerated outrageous expression. “I take offense to that.”

“Good” Edge's smirk widened. “That was the intention.”

“Why, you little shit-”

Goth tuned out their bickering for his own sanity. It was amusing to watch their shenanigans and any other day, he would be glad to let the brothers do their thing.

Now, though, wasn't the best time for that kind of thing. He looked at Glitch in hopes of figuring out what to do in this situation, or at least an idea, someone to talk to like he had gotten used to after so long together all the time.

Much to his chagrin, Glitch was grinning like a maniac while mocking his uncles. He didn't know why he expected anything else. It was Glitch, after all. No matter how much the black boned skeleton cared about Goth himself, it was violence or destruction and his tenant was all for it.

Looking intently at the front door, he was sure Sci would notice them with all the ruckus they were causing. That thought was troubling for him, he wanted to be the one to knock on the door, to be able to overcome that apprehension the other Sans provoked on him. His relationship with Sci was rocky at best, non existent at worst. There was no bond, nothing there except awkwardness and tension, although it was more complicated than that.

The creek of the front door proved him right, and he was a bit disappointed in himself at feeling relieved by it.

“Red? What are you doing here?” asked Sci, nervously watching them all with a half closed door. Probably trying to hide the visitors from the babybones Papyrus Sci had under his care.

Red turned around to greet Sci giving his back to Edge in the middle of their argument, which awarded him a punch to the head he didn't see coming. Sci gasped, running to his aid.

Dropping to the ground, Red just rolled in the snow to face up towards Sci's worried face and hovering figure with an awkward smile. “Sci, heeeeeey...”

The loopy smile and unfocused eye lights weren't helping reassure Sci at all. If anything, it just made him panic more. Red couldn't probably had gotten brain damage, they didn't have those.

Then again, damage to the skull could be just as bad for them. Just look at Horror.

Goth deadpanned. It was better to not let his thoughts wander so much. Sci and Geno were different people and that's all there was to it. Even if the lovesick looks Red and Sci were sharing made him uncomfortable. Ugh, adults.

The best thing he could do now was focus on Edge. “Uncle Red's acting weird now.”

Edge scoffed, a grimace on his face. He wasn't used to seeing Red open up to someone who wasn't him and it showed. Glitch, however, had no such qualms and liked to put his own two cents in any conversation where he could mock another Sans that wasn't Goth.

'He's abomination 13, he always acts weird' Glitch laughed haughtily. 'What the funk did you expect?'

Goth thought about it, glancing back at Red and regretting it immediately. Cringing, he decided it was best to not see the pair's poor attempts at flirting with each other.

“What does the 13 mean after the abomination stuff?” the young godling mumbled.

Next to him, Edge straightened and tensed, looking alarmed at his nephew. Goth looked up at him, curious about the behavior but not giving it importance.

“Uncle Edge? Something wrong?”

Edge shook his head, still looking shaken. “Must have heard wrong, nephew” and then Edge proceeded to mutter to himself things like 'yeah, imagining things' or 'it couldn't be, I'm imagining things'.

How curious, Goth mused. How could the mention of a mere number such as 13 cause this kind of reaction on the usually level headed and stern Papyrus? Best not to mention it again if this was the kind of result he got, although he wondered why Glitch knew of it. What was the connection there?

There had to be one, and he was more certain now than ever. Just how did Glitch know his uncles and what kind of life did he lead before all this mess?

* * *

Sci lead them inside, away from the prying eyes of the rest of the Underground. They stuck out like a sore thumb in this kind of timeline and they all knew it, but pointedly didn't care. The only one who could pass off as normal-ish would be Goth, but even that was a stretch with his bare feet and almost completely white outfit.

The Underfell monsters? They didn't even stand a chance at camouflage.

Not only were they too edgy for Sci's timeline in general, seeing as the clothing style in there was more bland, but skeletons monsters were known to be rare. In this point of time, there should only be Gaster, Sans and Papyrus. And since Gaster had taken a dive into the Core, thus erasing him from existence and reality itself, it was like he hadn't been there at all. So it was just Sans and Papyrus.

Sans, who was well known by everyone and Papyrus, who was a babybones.

And the fact that a babybones lived in the house was obvious once they opened the door. There were multiple toys scattered everywhere, block toys trying to emulate a maze in the floor of the living room, action figurines all over the table and the TV on, with just static on it since there was no Mettaton yet.

Sci fidgeted a bit, looking like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. “You didn't tell me you were going to visit, I'm a mess, the place, I-”

Red interrupted him, holding Sci's face between his hands and nearing the other's face to his own to get his point across. “It's okay, Sci. I think you look good.”

“You...” Sci blushed heavily, gulping. “You do?

Red blinked. Seemed like he was just realizing what he said. Goth just had to be strong enough to endure this and try not to think about it too much.

“I-I mean- you always look good- shit! Not what I was gonna say. Uh... You look like a mess. Wait, wait! Not that either” with a growl of frustration, Red glared at Sci. “You look okay!”

“Okay...?”

Red breathed deeply and nodded sharply. “Okay.”

Edge groaned, catching Red from the scuff of his jacket and dragging him away from Sci to give the other Sans, who was still shaky and blushing, some space. Red was about to protest when Edge hit him in the head once more, ignoring the indignant 'hey' of protest coming from his older brother.

“Oh my stars, brother. That was so painful to watch.”

'I'll have to agree' Glitch crossed his arms, looking unimpressed before grinning, obviously amused at Red's expense. 'It was still funny.'

Goth had to hand it to the black boned skeleton. Even if it made him uncomfortable, a deep rejection rising deep in his soul when he thought about his mother with anyone else that wasn't his father, even if it was a past version or an alternate Aftertale that never really differed into that very same AU... It was funny. He nodded.

“Shut the fuck up!”

“So...” Sci hesitantly approached the group once more, which resulted in Red calming down somewhat. “Seeing as you didn't come alone” and it was so obvious he was referring to Red that it didn't even need to be clarified for anyone on the room “I guess this isn't a social call?”

“Social call? You meant courting, surely” Edge teased with contempt.

Glitch glanced at Goth, who flinched just a tad at the knowing look the other glitch was giving him. 'Just think of Sci as your uncle or something, it's not good to make such comparisons in the Multiverse. He's not your mother.'

Goth nodded, agreeing with Glitch easily enough after considering it. He had never thought of that possibility, but it made sense. Sci's timeline had branched off from Aftertale before the AU's events even began. Sci wasn't and would never be Geno, even if Geno had been Sci.

Why did this AU stuff had to be so complicated?

He just had to tease Red and don't think too much about it, they make a good couple and his uncle Red deserved happiness. “They don't look like they reached that stage yet. More like flirting.”

“Such shame to have a coward for a brother. Grow some nerve.”

Sci stuttered, obviously nervous about the implications behind the teasing. He was blushing lightly, looking from Red to Edge very fast as if checking its truthfulness.

“Who the fuck asked you for your opinion, boss?”

Edge scoffed, waving his hand as if disregarding what Red said. “Opinions aren't asked for, they're given. Deal with it.”

“Then go give it to someone who cares” muttered angrily Red, pointing his finger in Edge's chest in animosity. “You can take your opinions and shove them up your-”

“Red! That's your nephew right there. Language!”

“English” Red smirked, winking at Sci with cockiness, which awarded him with a surprised snort from Sci and a long suffering sigh from Edge.

“That's not what I meant and you know it.”

'Well' Goth thought. 'At least Sci addressed my presence here, even if he can't look at me in the eye lights.'

'I'm sure you've heard worse, you're a teenager' scoffed Glitch, giving Red a mild glare of annoyance while floating around Goth lazily, having grown tired of this particular source of entertainment.

'I actually haven't...'

Glitch blinked, looking incredulously at Goth. The young godling shrugged, at a loss. He talked with Red a lot, which was the only adult in his life that swore daily. In Reapertale, the people there always tried to censure themselves around him. Palette just wasn't that kind of person, and despite being from Underfell, Edge didn't really use what he dubbed such distasteful and vulgar language.

'That's it, abomination 13 is next on the eradicating list.'

'Don't you mean black list?' Although why the necessity of putting the Underfell Sans on one escaped him.

'No, I meant what I said.'

Goth repressed a sigh. 'Why must you always insist on wanting to destroy everyone I know at some point?'

'Why not?'

Goth had wanted an actual answer, but perhaps he should have expected the childish response. Glitch was just that kind of person most of the time, even if he had his moments of genius.

Tuning back into his surroundings, the young reaper saw the comic sight of Red trying to push his much taller brother Edge towards the front door. He wasn't making progress and Edge just crossed his arms, looking unimpressed down to his older brother.

“Bro, I love you, but go the fuck away.”

“And not see the embarrassment you're bringing to yourself with your interaction with my future in law?”

Sci choked on air, his face exploding in color in his magic's colors. “In law?!”

“BRO!”

Edge shrugged, uncrossing his arms hands up. “I am merely stating a fact. No need to get so flustered over it.”

“Brooooo, stooooop” pleaded a flustered Red.

Goth looked helplessly at Sci in a last ditch effort of getting some help on getting back on track, just to find said skeleton still in lalaland all blushy and anxious. Ugh, adults.

“After much consideration, dear brother” and the sarcasm was so noticeable even Goth himself didn't have any trouble noticing, and that was something worth of notice since he was socially inept- “I'll have to decline.”

“IT'S NOT A DAMN OFFER, FUCK OFF!”

The youngest looked at Red wide eyed with a mix of alarm at the sudden outburst and admiration. “Wow.”

Glitch froze and narrowed his eye-sockets, his error signs buzzing around him. 'He's an impressionable teenager, stop teaching him swears, funking radhole!' he ranted, even if it fell on deaf ears since only Goth could hear him.

Sci pinched his nose bone, finally out of his flustered trance and back to his usual exhaustion of a scientist. “I'm way too tired to properly deal with this shit.”

And the local Sans just turned around and kicked some toys away, making quick progress towards the kitchen area and away from them all.

“You are loud an annoying, brother. Your are even annoying my future in law.”

Red took his sneaker off and threw it towards Edge's head. The projectile missed and thumped against the wood of the front door, flopping uselessly to the floor after that. With a scowl, an answer to the smug smirk on Edge's face, Red started hopping on one leg to go after Sci.

It was just Edge, Goth and Glitch now, watching Red make his way towards Sci awkwardly on one leg.

“It's good to see your relationship as brothers is just as good as always” Goth chirped.

“I suppose. Still, maybe we should let the love birds cool off a bit.”

'Understatement.'

“Yeah...” Goth fidgeted on place. It wasn't like they could wait outside the house since they attracted too much attention, so stuck on the entrance it was. “You think uncle Red will take the opportunity and finally ask Sci out?”

“That wimp? No way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long hiatus, everyone! I had exams and then I had a bike accident so...
> 
> But anyways. I have to take it easy a couple weeks (doctor's orders) but I'll be working on this. The updates will probably be slow, but they will be done. I'm not abandoning this.

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language. If you notice any errors (heh), just tell me in the comments.


End file.
